Exploring AI’s role in wastewater treatment

On a recent episode of the Informed Infrastructure podcast, Pusker Regmi, vice president and wastewater sector leader at Stantec, spoke about the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in wastewater treatment and engineering.

During the conversation, Regmi discussed a new Water Research Foundation (WRF) project led by our team that is focused on applying AI to wastewater treatment operations. The 31‑month initiative is supported through WRF’s Tailored Collaboration Program and is co‑funded by WSSC Water in Maryland and Prince William Water in Virginia, which are serving as co‑leading utility partners. The project aims to explore how AI tools can support more efficient, reliable, and informed decision‑making in treatment plant operations.

The discussion also explored broader applications of AI in engineering. Regmi emphasized that while AI has the potential to enhance engineering work, it should be used as a tool to boost professional judgment, not replace it. He shared ideas on how engineers can adopt AI thoughtfully, safely, and responsibly as part of their day‑to‑day work.