Principles for AI and the Future of Work in Water: Building an AI-Empowered Water Workforce

AI is already reshaping the U.S. labor market in measurable ways, with the effects sharpening as adoption accelerates: “More than 1.3 million new AI-related jobs have emerged globally over the past two years. These roles are powering what LinkedIn calls the ‘new-collar’ era — work that blends technical fluency, digital literacy, and distinctly human skills like adaptability and critical thinking.”6 AI is entering a labor market already under strain because of retirements, personnel shortages, and recruitment challenges. Disruption will interact with these pre-existing workforce pressures rather than occur in isolation.

The water sector is not immune to the transformative forces of AI. As communities and businesses expand across the U.S., so do their water, wastewater, and stormwater needs. AI offers the water workforce invaluable tools to help manage precious water resources and meet growing demand. But safety, cybersecurity, compliance, workforce, equity, and reputational risk must be factored into AI adoption strategies.

Given the push to do more with less, particularly with constraints on federal funding for water infrastructure and challenges in raising rates, AI presents important opportunities to drive efficiency. AI is already delivering real-world results, including enhanced predictive maintenance, optimized treatment processes, pressure management to reduce leaks, improved water quality monitoring, and clear data driven decision making that can strengthen operations and support more efficient, equitable service delivery. A Brookings Institution report on AI use in electricity utilities shows that AI-driven analytics and generative tools are being introduced to support planning, forecasting, and operational decisions, helping staff spend less time on manual data processing and routine reporting.7
The rapid evolution of AI brings with it tremendous uncertainty. How it will be used in the water sector and what effect it will have on the workforce, service delivery, and public trust are critical questions that must be explored.