UK’s water utility Sutton and East Surrey Water (SES Water) has installed 1,000 sensors underground to monitor the water flow and pressure, transmitting real-time data to central control systems, reports The BBC.
The utility based in Surrey is one of the first in the United Kingdom to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) across its entire network to mitigate water leaks.
This innovative technology not only tracks current conditions but also predicts expected levels, enabling swift identification of leaks. Upon detection, alarms are promptly triggered, prompting rapid deployment of maintenance crews.
The BBC spoke with Jeremy Heath, Innovation Manager at SES Water, who said: “In many cases, we are repairing that pipe before customers even notice a slight drop in their pressure.”
“It allows us to react, get the crews out really quickly and get the repairs done," he added.
Liam Ahearne, Head of Asset Strategy at SES Water, emphasized the impact of their smart network, stating, "Our implementation of a smart network has led to a notable reduction in leakage run times, by as much as 40%."
SES Water serves a substantial customer base, supplying 160 million litres (35 million gallons) of water to approximately 300,000 residences and businesses spanning parts of Surrey, Kent, and South London
SES Water aims to decrease water leakage by 15 per cent over the next five years and believes this project is the first of its kind in the water industry.
SES Water serves a substantial customer base, supplying 160 million litres (35 million gallons) of water to approximately 300,000 residences and businesses spanning parts of Surrey, Kent, and South London.
While the company boasts one of the nation's best leakage records, recent data from 2022/23 indicates a loss of 76 litres (17 gallons) per property per day. However, SES Water aims to decrease this figure by four litres (one gallon) per day by the conclusion of 2025. This ambitious goal translates to a remarkable saving of nearly half an Olympic-sized swimming pool's worth of water daily.
However, environmental experts believe that this project is not good enough. The south-east of England is currently experiencing an increase in water scarcity, introducing temporary use (or hosepipe) bans across the region. According to the Water Resources South East (WRSE), “If we don’t increase our resilience, we risk needing more severe restrictions on how we use water. The National Infrastructure Commission estimates the daily economic cost of this could be 1.3 billion pounds.”
In January 2024, Pennon Group, owner of South West Water, Bristol Water and Bournemouth Water, announced the purchase of Sumisho Osaka Gas Water UK Limited, the holding company of Sutton and East Surrey Water plc (“SES Water”).
