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Case Study

What if AI and automation could prevent outages and reduce leakages, saving millions each year?

CLIENT

Large UK Water Utility

Industry

Utilities / Water

LOCATION

United Kingdom

Leveraging AI and Iot for A Hydraulic Network Risk Tool

Access to clean water and sanitation is critical to public health and economic stability, especially as populations rise and cities expand. According to the World Health Organization, improved access to clean water could save as many as 1.4 million lives each year.

Yet, even with notable progress in providing clean water, utilities worldwide continue to grapple with managing complex infrastructures. Fragmented systems and reactive maintenance approaches lead to service disruptions, lost revenue and, unfortunately, yearly water loss in the billions of gallons.

As technology advances, water utilities globally are increasingly turning towards proactive, tech-enabled approaches to revolutionize water resource management. This was the case for one of the UK’s largest private water utilities which chose to leverage AI and IoT to transform its infrastructure management to decrease outages and leaks.

Challenges to Overcome

  • Control room operators needed a unified view of the network, which stretches over 31,000 km of infrastructure. 
  • Ability to assess risk by piecing together information from various sources, each aggregated differently and using different tools.

Solving Problems with AI and Data

The utility partnered with Sand Technologies to enhance service for its 10+ million customers and derive insights from the thousands of sensors throughout the network. The team implemented an AI-based digital platform,the Hydraulic Network Risk Tool (HNRT), to integrate multiple data sources into a single visualization displayed on a map featuring more than 500 sensors and critical control points (CPPs).

Automated analytics within the HNRT alert operators to potential risks, facilitating proactive maintenance and minimizing service interruptions. Additionally, the HNRT utilizes pressure and flow data from district meters and CPPs, alongside customer reports, to map relevant assets like valves, reservoirs, and pipes. Data is ingested every 15 minutes, enabling the system to detect issues, such as significant pressure differentials or low reservoir levels.

Results

Implementing the HNRT yielded impressive results, showcasing the transformative power of proactive technology in water management.

  • The utility predicted a significant water outage, saving a remarkable £7 million through effective prevention strategies.
  • The system minimized the number of properties impacted.
  • Faster leak management significantly reduced the duration of service interruptions for those affected.
  • Better leak management has enhanced customer satisfaction and trust.
  • The number of leaks has been reduced.
  • Translates to annual savings exceeding £1.3 million
  • Improvements translate to annual savings exceeding £1.3 million.

Looking Ahead

The utility is well-positioned to continue leveraging AI and IoT technologies to further enhance operational efficiency and sustainability. As they refine their systems and processes, they can expect even greater improvements in service reliability, cost savings and environmental stewardship, ultimately benefiting the community and the ecosystem.

They worked collaboratively with us to create groundbreaking new data science-driven capabilities which have won awards and helped us significantly improve business performance. The team has worked alongside us, to challenge and steer us and help us develop our own data science skills.

Head of Data Factory

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