Effective Drainage of the Built Environment in The AI Era: Opportunities for Smart and Climate-Responsive Drainage Management in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

@article{1722917,
      author = {Lagasi, J. E., Lagasi, J. J., Ireebanije, O. O.},
      title = {Effective Drainage of the Built Environment in The AI Era: Opportunities for Smart and Climate-Responsive Drainage Management in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {10},
      number = {3},
      pages = {1089-1095},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1722917.pdf},
      abstract = {Effective drainage is essential to the performance, safety and sustainability of the built environment. Rapid urbanisation, increased impervious surfaces, inadequate drainage infrastructure, poor maintenance and indiscriminate waste disposal have increased urban flood risks in many Nigerian cities. Climate change adds another layer of difficulty by increasing the likelihood of intense rainfall events and associated runoff. Traditional drainage systems are largely passive. They collect and convey stormwater but have limited capacity to predict changing conditions, identify blockages in real time or adjust their operation before flooding occurs. This paper reviews the emerging application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things, geographic information systems, remote sensing and real-time monitoring in urban drainage management. Existing literature shows that machine learning can support flood prediction, drainage system diagnosis, infrastructure maintenance and real-time control. Recent reviews also identify artificial intelligence as a promising tool for improving the resilience of urban drainage systems under climate change and rapid urbanisation. Nigerian evidence confirms the relationship between poor drainage, waste disposal and urban flooding. The paper argues that AI should not replace conventional drainage infrastructure but should improve the way drainage systems are planned, monitored, maintained and operated. For Jos, a smart drainage framework should integrate catchment mapping, rainfall monitoring, water-level sensors, blockage detection, GIS-based drainage inventories, predictive models and coordinated maintenance. The paper concludes that effective drainage in the AI era requires both physical infrastructure and intelligent information systems. However, successful implementation depends on reliable data, technical capacity, institutional coordination, funding and appropriate regulatory frameworks.},
      keywords = {Artificial intelligence, urban drainage, stormwater, flood management, smart drainage.},
      month = {September},
  }