Kansas Water Institute unlocks digital blueprint for cleaner water
What if AI, often considered a “dirty” word, was the key to clean water?
While Kansas faces water-related challenges like groundwater depletion, water quality issues and outdated infrastructure, K-State’s Kansas Water Institute has set its sights on a new solution — with the help of digital allies.
Partnering with SAS, a powerhouse in data analytics and artificial intelligence, the Kansas Water Institute plans to use the SAS Viya platform to explore streamlined solutions to water resource management and access to clean drinking water.
“At the Kansas Water Institute, we pursue evidence-based solutions for confronting the toughest water challenges of our time,” said Susan Metzger, director of the KWI and the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment. “Those solutions are rooted in data and require experts in agriculture and water, as well as leaders in technology like those at SAS. Together we can unleash the power of that data to provide Kansans with reliable insights into drivers impacting water resources.”
Data collected will be combined into one central platform through the integration of advanced analytics, AI and machine learning. Starting with the Kansas River Basin, the initiative will utilize software to create water-quality assessments and land-use data, offering a clearer picture of the state’s current resources and informing better policy decisions.
“KWI’s research will not just inform how the state manages its precious water resources,” said Julie Espy, SAS senior industry consultant and former director at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. “The challenges of water scarcity and quality are concerns across the U.S. and the world. Aligned with KWI’s mission, we hope to empower KWI with technology that increases the productivity of researchers and generates relevant insights for people around the world.”
Written By: Abbigail Marshall
