Generative AI for Operations and Maintenance for Utilities

Presentation Description: Water and wastewater utilities face mounting challenges—aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, and increasing operational complexity. Generative AI is emerging as a transformative tool to support operations and maintenance (O&M) by making institutional knowledge more accessible, improving decision-making, and boosting workforce efficiency.

This session presents the development and deployment of a domain-specific Generative AI platform for utility O&M. The goal is to show how large language models (LLMs), integrated with structured utility data, can assist field crews, operators, and engineers in real time. The system—called a Knowledge Twin—uses retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to deliver accurate, actionable responses to natural language queries on assets, procedures, alarms, and troubleshooting.

Currently piloted with multiple utilities, the platform accommodates varying levels of data maturity. Data sources such as CMMS records, SCADA logs, SOPs, GIS data, and work order histories are ingested, structured into a knowledge graph, and connected to a fine-tuned LLM trained on the terminology, context, and workflows unique to water and wastewater operations.

Early results show that field staff can resolve issues faster, locate information more easily, and preserve institutional knowledge despite staff turnover. Use cases include alarm response guidance, step-by-step maintenance support, asset history retrieval, and on-demand training. A key finding is the system’s ability to uncover insights from previously siloed or underused data, reducing time-to-resolution and unplanned downtime.

The approach is designed to start small—focusing on high-impact use cases—and scale as more data is curated or digitized. This lowers the barrier to entry, enabling utilities of all sizes to leverage AI without perfect datasets or major system changes.

The session will feature a live demonstration, practical deployment considerations, and lessons from early adopters. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how Generative AI can be safely and effectively implemented to enhance daily O&M, improve service reliability, and strengthen workforce capabilities.

As utilities confront aging infrastructure and the demands of digital transformation, Generative AI provides a powerful path to future-proof operations and empower the next generation of utility professionals.