Water pipe bots are mobile robots that have cameras for eyes and all-terrain legs. They are being created in collaboration with the water industry to patrol pipes and detect cracks and weaknesses before they become leaks. According to Ofwat, the water industry’s economic regulator, almost three billion liters of water are wasted every day due to leaks in hundreds of thousands of kilometers of water mains in England and Wales.
This year, wastewater was a particularly sensitive issue. According to Water UK, three companies—Southeast Water, Southwest Water, and Yorkshire Water—are still enforcing localized hose bans following the summer’s drought. And, during the cost-of-living crisis, Ofwat estimates that 20% of customers in England and Wales are having difficulty paying their water bills.
According to Ofwat, companies have reduced leakage by an average of 6% over the last year. The industry has pledged to help the government meet its goal of halving water losses by 2050. Water UK accepted that progress needed to be “accelerated average of 6% over the last year. The industry has pledged to help the government meet its goal of halving water losses by 2050. Water UK accepted that progress needed to be “accelerated.” “We’re using cutting-edge technology, such as dedicated in-pipe cameras, satellite imaging, thermal drone technology, high-tech probes, and artificial intelligence,” says the company.
Some companies are already using tethered robots to inspect inaccessible pipes. But most of the network is currently inaccessible without digging. This is where much smaller, artificially intelligent machines come into play. A new generation of underground pipe patrol robots is being tested at the University of Sheffield’s Integrated Civil and Infrastructure Research Center (ICAIR). Pipe bots are small mobile robots with camera eyes and all-terrain legs. They are developed in conjunction with the water industry to patrol pipes and find cracks and weak points before they develop into leaks.
