Robots Protecting Our Sewers

By Rob Lewis

This is the year when wastewater technology gets smart.

For centuries, engineers have worked on solutions to bring fresh water to cities and then get rid of wastewater safely. From the Roman aqueduct to the Victorian super sewer, water technology has had to keep pace with growing demand since humans first started to live together.

But in recent years our water technology has struggled to keep pace. Today the global wastewater infrastructure is creaking. Overcrowded cities, clogged drains, intensive farming, and heavy downpours unleashed by a changing climate are all putting pressure on the wastewater network under our feet.

According to data from the UN, 80% of the world’s wastewater is dumped — largely untreated — back into the environment, polluting our rivers, lakes, and oceans. Aging sewers are getting blocked with build-ups of non-degradable fats and waste, turning into so-called fatbergs that cause sewage overflows.

New solutions are urgently needed to ensure we keep our waterways safe and prevent wastewater polluting the places where we live.

Smart Solutions

This is the year when wastewater technology gets smart. New digital solutions and innovative engineering solutions are being developed that can predict leaks, patrol pipes, and provide dynamic 24-hour insight into managing water infrastructure.

Robots In Our Sewers

Minicam Group, a Halma company, has invented specialist robots that help fix this issue. These robots have rugged wheels for navigating slippery pipes, as well as cameras and headlights to beam footage back to an operator above ground so they can see where they are going. The robots are placed into pipes and are then remote-controlled through the network to identify any damage or blockages which need clearing. Each robot has several tools that can be attached depending on the job needed. Their technology helps extend the life of the aging wastewater networks in countries across Europe by assessing the condition of pipes and spotting blockages or damage that can be dealt with before they cause a harmful overflow.

Smart Sensors

As well as robots in our pipes, there are now thousands of sensors being installed in the world’s sewers. This is helping to turn each network into a smart system that can trigger an alert when something goes wrong. Working with UK water companies like Severn Trent, HWM, a Halma company, is deploying thousands of these intelligent sensors to monitor and analyse sewer levels. Accurate sewer data can alert water companies to blockages in the network, meaning engineers can be dispatched to tackle network and treatment plant issues before overspills and pollutions occur. 

Digital Twins

As water companies monitor their network more closely, they can also use software to build what is called a ‘digital twin’ to run computer simulations of extreme weather events and the impact on their system based on a wide range of data inputs from across their networks. HWM’s leak detection, pressure, and sewer monitoring sensors are key inputs to such models. This allows the water companies to predict potential events as well as helping them to prioritize decisions about where to invest in their network and infrastructure.

Predictive Maintenance

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in network management. Minicam Group has partnered with VAPAR, a company offering AI-powered software to help faster and more accurate condition assessment of sewer networks in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Their innovative technology works by analysing huge datasets of pipe footage, then using its AI to prioritise and recommend which pipes need repair. This takes the guesswork out of pipe maintenance and ensures the money is spent on repairs where it is needed most.

The Future Is Smart

The demands on our water networks posed by overpopulation and climate change are growing every day. Now, thanks to innovative technology, we are finding new ways to extend the life of existing networks and detect and prevent blockages to protect our environment.

Rob Lewis is Divisional Chief Executive for Environmental & Analysis at Halma.