Competition: Breakthrough 4: Catalyst
Amount awarded: £1,615,325
Led by: Northumbrian Water
Partners: Environmental Monitoring Solutions Ltd, Gateshead Council, Jet Aire, Minicam Group, Newcastle City Council, Southern Water, Sunderland City Council, Thames Water, University of Sheffield
Expected completion date: September 2026
Water cycle tag: Waste water network
Pipebot Patrol will develop an autonomous sewer robot that lives in the sewer, constantly inspecting and raising alerts to the precise location of blockages, as they are beginning to form. This proactive approach allows maintenance teams enough time to react before sewer flooding occurs, keeping sewage where it belongs.
“This funding allows us to progress robotic solutions to monitor sewers and minimise the possibility of sewer flooding to customer properties and environmental impact. Combining robotics, autonomy and acoustics with smart-sewer networks, we’re developing new tools for water companies to meet our performance commitments to reduce sewer flooding.” – Richard Warneford, Wastewater Director, Northumbrian Water Group
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In the latest period we have moved from lab-based testing to live testing within a sewer. Taking the first steps to deploy the Pipebot, dock and communication method. We gained valuable insight and learnings from preparations for field trials and in addition ensured engagement with a variety of stakeholders. During field trials we were able to ensure that the dock can be installed successfully and our resources and processes refined to ensure repeatability in future. As part of testing we were able to check that functional movements can be performed in the live sewer in addition to testing of sensors and control panel interactions; at this point gaining acoustic measurements within the pipe. Finally we have also completed the Spring Showcase and gained further acclaim in a recent episode of BBC’s The One Show allowing for further publicity for the project and improved public knowledge of the work we are completing.
