Marcello Michael Serrao
Latest article
From the pipe to the dashboard: the hidden journey of water data
A wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) manager opens a dashboard on a Monday morning, sees a green line trending upward, and decides everything is under control. What they don’t see i…
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From black box to white box: Physics-informed AI as the path to explainable water management
Everyone is talking about xAI; the brand chosen by one of Silicon Valley's most prominent AI ventures for its latest generation large-language-model chatbot. In the water sector we could use a similar kind of explainable XAI: one that makes AI tools and simulation models genuinely understandable, trustworthy, and actionable for engineers, operators, and managers. The […]
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Evolving modelling expectations in the water sector – integration, resilience, localisation and AI
As a new year begins, it is appropriate to reflect on the evolving role of modelling in the water sector. There is growing recognition that traditional approaches—optimised for bounded systems, design conditions, and steady-state assumptions—are increasingly challenged by changing environmental drivers, operational volatility, and the expansion of available data sources. In response, four developments are […]
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Engineering water systems with AI and Digital Twins: Smarter design, lower CAPEX
Renovating aging water and wastewater treatment infrastructure and designing new full-scale plants is more urgent but also more complex than ever. Stricter regulations, urban growth, economic and climate-aligned performance targets demand that engineers design resilient, high-efficiency systems within constrained budgets and planning timelines. Artificial Intelligence (AI), combined with Digital Twins (DTs), is emerging as a […]
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Smart water systems perform better with smart people: Water operators in the age of AI
Water operators and decision-makers in the water sector today have access to more detailed and (near) real-time data than ever before thanks to modern digital tools — like smart sensors, SCADA systems, GIS platforms, and digital twins. Whether it's monitoring flow rates and water quality indicators at a wastewater treatment plant, or detecting pressure drops […]
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Flowing toward peace: How AI and ML models can transform water security and diplomacy
At the start of 2025, many people around the globe continue to face concerns about national security and personal safety. Amid these challenges, it is essential to highlight the positive impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) can have on society, particularly in the domain of water management in conflict zones. Water security […]
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Increase cybersecurity resilience using advanced data-science techniques for operators training
The water and wastewater sector are fundamental to providing clean and safe water, maintaining sanitation, and supporting public health, as well as the economic sectors that rely on these services. Therefore, safeguarding critical infrastructure in the water sector is essential to a country's health system and economy, especially against the increasing threat of cyber-attacks. The […]
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How model hybridization supports digital twins in the water industry
The water sector is on the search for ways to optimize the treatment of water and by-products to allow reducing the energy consumption and usage of chemical reagents while continuing to comply with the regulatory requirements for the produced water and biomass quality. Important drivers are the evolving human and environmental health regulations that will […]
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