The largest Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) Convention and Trade Show wrapped up earlier this month, and Drayton Valley received special recognition for its proactive adoption of AI and the savings it’s achieved as a result.
ABmunis has developed an AI Adoption Toolkit to answer common questions about the best practices for using AI in municipal operations, and shared that with attendees during a breakout session at the conference. The toolkit features Drayton Valley’s water treatment project as a preeminent example of AI adoption.
The town adopted a machine learning solution to manage its water treatment process in 2024. According to the toolkit, although the process is still managed and operated by humans, water quality is observed every five minutes as opposed to once a day, as it was previously.
An AI system analyzes water conditions and applies a chemical dose based on that analysis. It then continues to learn and refine its process based on its analyses and outcomes. This learning process also considers contextual factors like seasonal weather patterns and the impact of wildfires.
This adoption of AI has reportedly resulted in a 75 per cent reduction in chemical usage, an 11 per cent reduction in energy used, and a 15 per cent reduction in water waste during backwashing.
The toolkit notes the town’s technology is set up locally and on the premises of the water treatment facility, so remote access to the system is very limited.
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