Stantec to lead WRF project applying AI to wastewater operations

Stantec has been selected to lead a new research initiative with the Water Research Foundation focused on applying artificial intelligence to wastewater treatment operations.

The 31-month project, funded through WRF’s Tailored Collaboration Program, will be co-led by utility partners WSSC Water and Prince William Water. The effort aims to translate treatment plant data into real-time operational guidance using advanced AI tools.

Stantec will integrate AI capabilities from EAOS, a wastewater-focused technology firm, to develop “Intelligent Assets”—digital tools designed to support operators with process stability, troubleshooting and decision-making as systems become more complex and workforce challenges intensify.

“At its core, this project is about practical innovation grounded in operations,” said Pusker Regmi, Stantec vice president and principal investigator, in a press release. “By bringing together engineering, plant experience, and artificial intelligence, we’re creating tools that operators can trust to manage increasingly complex facilities.”

The research will be piloted at WSSC Water’s Piscataway Water Resource Recovery Facility and Prince William Water’s H.L. Mooney Advanced Water Reclamation Facility, with additional utilities invited to participate as observers.

WRF will fund 50% of the project, with participating utilities contributing the remaining share. Final deliverables will include a research report and an AI implementation playbook to help utilities evaluate return on investment and adopt digital tools.

The project reflects a broader industry push to deploy AI in ways that directly address operational needs, including workforce gaps, knowledge retention and regulatory compliance.