17837_Authority_Oct

municipalauthorities.org | 55 water analytics company, to develop our lead service line inventory. Blue Conduit uses academically based and market-tested AI and machine learning algorithms to predict lead service line locations. Using machine learning and refining it with detailed information, such as historical records or the age of a home, predictive modeling suggests what pipe material may be found,” says Capuzzi. “It lets us more effectively allocate our resources and save money by not doing door-to-door or pothole inspections of pipe at every property. In addition, we are also exploring new ways to utilize AI to review data and historical records to help us understand patterns and events, such as main breaks and system failures to help us analyze and prioritize where to invest capital budget and improve our infrastructure.” “Implementing AI in our operations at LCA has enhanced efficiency and our decision-making processes,” says Moughan. “I encourage authorities to learn about and explore AI as a companion to improve processes, stay competitive, and drive innovation in your work.” LCA practices human review of AI-generated results to validate information relied upon and applied in our work. We fact-check AI, which can sometimes provide incorrect information. We remain open to possibilities because we know AI will continue to evolve at a rapid pace. We embrace it as a tool to supplement and improve and do our best work to deliver on our critical mission to protect public health and the environment.” Ethical Considerations It is important to be transparent and cite the use of AI in development of content, research, and decision-making. Some recommendations include: a. Clearly state the name of the AI tool used. For example, “Generated using ChatGPT.” b. Provide a brief description: Explain what the AI tool did. For example, “The text was generated using an AI language model.” c. Cite in References or Footnotes: In formal documents, include a reference or footnote with details including the name of the AI tool, provider, and date of use. For example, OpenAI. (August 2024). ChatGPT. Portions of this article were generated using artificial intelligence and were reviewed and edited by the author. (OpenAI, ChatGPT, August 2024) S About Lehigh County Authority: Lehigh County Authority (LCA) is a public water and wastewa- ter utility committed to protecting public health and the environment by providing high-qual- ity, safe, and reliable water and wastewater services, serving a population of approximately 270,000 people. A nonprofit, public agency, LCA was founded in 1966 by the County of Lehigh and is governed by a nine‐member board of directors appointed by the County.