Scottish Water expands smart wastewater pilots

Scottish Water is expanding its “intelligent asset base” across its wastewater infrastructure after positive results from trial schemes.

The company is in the early stages of investing £100 million in the rollout of remote sensors and other technologies designed to provide real-time insight of sewage pipes and treatment works.

This has involved trialling sensors, which automatically detect the presence of blockages, in four areas – Erskine, Inverness, Lossiemouth and East Calder – that have previously suffered from flooding and pollution events. Scottish Water says it has already used this data to avert potential Environmental Pollution Incidents (EPIs) and flooding of homes.

The company now intends to use the learnings from the pilots to roll out the technology into other areas which experience similar issues.

At its wastewater treatment sites, it is tackling the challenge of having little access to real-time data regarding the quality of treatment or the condition and performance of assets. This means maintenance is more responsive than predictive, energy consumption is higher than it could be, and asset life is potentially shortened.

In response, Scottish Water is connecting new and existing operational data from across its infrastructure via Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and other devices to provide near real-time data and reduce the reliance on site visits. The company says that with 600 samples gathered daily from across its 1,800 treatment works, this will enable considerable cost savings because

This capability is being installed at 17 wastewater ‘exemplar’ treatment works. At the first one, Laighpark in Paisley, Scottish Water now has real-time final effluent compliance data. It says that together with real-time control and intervention, this is helping to reduce risk of compliance breaches as well as reduce energy consumption across the site.

Condition sensors have also been installed on large assets such as pumps. By monitoring vibration and temperature, maintenance teams can intervene if the signals go outside normal operating levels.

Scottish Water has invested more than £5 million in the wastewater exemplar work and about £2 million in the sensors in the network pilots so far.

Chris Toop, the company’s general manager – digital, said: “We are very encouraged by the early results coming through our pilot works. The innovative use of sensors and analytics in this way represents a much bigger shift towards predicting and preventing issues before they impact on our customers and environment – ensuring that vital services flow smoothly and efficiently.”

Joyce Gray, wastewater business manager, added: “This is a complex programme of works and a critical part of our digital transformation journey, helping transform our wastewater business and drive a step-change in operational performance.

“It will allow us to make better operational decisions, be more efficient and to drive significant benefits, particularly in relation to energy consumption and responsive asset failures.”

Wastewater handling and treatment consumer 53% of the total energy Scottish Water uses and accounts for  71% of its carbon footprint.

Atos and Capgemini are supporting the project as digital partners