South West Water AI Trial Reduces Sewage Pollution by 200 Incidents

South West Water has announced that its artificial intelligence trial has prevented approximately 200 pollution incidents by predicting sewer blockages before they cause environmental damage. The two-year programme utilises AI to analyse data from 12,000 sensors across the network, monitoring water level fluctuations to identify potential blockages and overflows.

Context and Background

The AI system processes real-time data from sensors throughout South West Water’s sewerage network, which serves Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Dorset and Somerset. According to Helen Dobby from SWW, the technology provides “an extra 12,000 pairs of eyes on our network” by continuously monitoring water levels and flow patterns.

Data scientist Joshua Myrans, who developed the approach during his PhD studies, explained that the AI also processes hours of CCTV footage from sewage infrastructure to identify defects and blockages in waste water pipes. The system has been trained on human-labelled images, enabling it to detect problems such as grease accumulation, root intrusion, and structural damage that could lead to system failures.

The initiative forms part of South West Water’s Pollution Incident Reduction Plan, launched after the company received a “requires improvement” rating from utility regulator Ofwat and faced a £24m enforcement package earlier this year following a three-year investigation into sewage spills.

Looking Forward

Professor Richard Everson from the University of Exeter, who collaborated on the trial, emphasised that widespread environmental monitoring using AI will enable better understanding and management of infrastructure systems. The technology replaces labour-intensive manual inspection processes, allowing operational staff to survey more of the network and identify problems before they escalate.

South West Water is implementing the AI programme alongside a £760m capital investment in storm overflow reduction and enhanced training for wastewater operatives, as the company works to improve its environmental performance rating from its current two out of four stars.

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