Revolutionising sewage systems – the promise of clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement

Britain’s water system, a relic from decisions made in 1856, has long since struggled with sewage overflows, leading to a wealth of environmental and health concerns. The root of the issue lies in the widespread use of combined sewage systems, where rainwater and sewage intermingle, causing spills during heavy rainfall. The current infrastructure, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in response to the 19th century “Great Stink”, has become outdated and unable to handle the challenges of modern urbanisation.

The inherent flaw in combined systems is their vulnerability to overflow events, which were originally intended to be infrequent. However, climate …

Flow insights lower the cost of water-saving

Industrial companies and commercial building owners wanting to reduce waste to improve cost efficiency and save water, must become smarter in their operations, writes Paul Hartley, chief commercial officer, Ovarro

Making the best use of available data is key to optimising processes and becoming more efficient. When it comes to water usage, tools are now widely available for organisations of all sizes to closely monitor consumption.

This kind of analysis gives facilities managers a much better understanding of how much water is being used at their premises. It also allows them to identify potential water saving opportunities, where consumption …

England’s Revised Water Resource Management Plans

Water companies and regional groups are prioritising investment in new water supply solutions to ensure water security in the face of increasing demand and climate change.
Plans include constructing desalination plants, reservoirs, and water recycling schemes, aiming to supply over 10 million litres of water per day by 2050. These measures mark a shift towards resilient water supplies independent of rainfall.
The government emphasizes an integrated approach to water management across catchments, with the industry embracing adaptive planning to address uncertainties and risks. Close monitoring and tracking of plan delivery are crucial for early adaptation and problem-solving.
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Ofwat innovation fund consultation – approach for 2025-30: Tell us what you think by 30 April 2024

Ofwat have launched their consultation on the Ofwat innovation fund for 2025-30, which sets out their plans to go bigger, better and faster on water innovation

Ofwat are consulting on changes to make the fund achieve an even greater impact, including doubling its size to £400 million for 2025-30 and introducing new competitions to develop the bold, transformational innovations that the water sector needs.

Their exciting plans include:

  • working with other sectors to support cross-sector projects to tackle common problems, including the European Space Agency’s‘Space for Infrastructure’ call seeking to use space technologies to improve life on Earth;
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Orion, Pioneering Real-Time Data Networks for Sustainable Water Management and Alleviating Coverage Black Spots

There are many factors driving water preservation for businesses. This includes climate change, environmental and regulatory pressures, population growth, and operational costs. These all influence the business case for resource preservation.

Regulators like Ofwat are tackling the need for sustainable change in myriad ways. The challenge to reduce water leaks by at least 15% by 2025 is one example. It is widely accepted that digital transformation and innovation is required to make a difference on this front – and AMR smart meters are one of the solutions.

The Power of Connection 

To achieve the desired outcomes, advanced smart metering technology …

Innovative Partnership is a Water Industry First – South West Water and Water Direct

South West Water and Water Direct have begun a formal collaboration to develop the water industry’s first end-to-end, fully managed and staffed alternative water supply service across South West Water’s supply area.

 

South West Water and Water Direct are working in partnership to design enhanced Alternative Water Supply (AWS) delivery services to 800,000 homes and 70,000 businesses across the South West. An industry-first, the project will see South West Water utilising Water Direct’s resources and expertise to design, manage and deliver alternative water supplies during planned and unplanned interruptions to the water supply.

This is the first example of …

Steve Vick International’s Innovative Grout Filling Project for Wales & West Utilities in Aberdare

Steve Vick International’s Contract Services team recently completed a challenging project in Aberdare, Wales, commissioned by Wales & West Utilities and Transport for Wales. The project involved grout filling a recently decommissioned gas main, covering 150 metres of 300mm steel pipe, located beneath a newly laid railway track.

Deploying two grout rigs, the team employed a quick pumped gravity-fed application for efficient steel pipe filling. This innovative approach significantly reduced the overall completion time, with the entire 150-metre length filled in just 90 minutes, totaling 10.6 cubic metres. Remote management through gravity-fed grout rigs ensured seamless execution without disrupting the …

Thinking outside the pipe makes water and wastewater management a breeze

For efficient water and wastewater management, precise monitoring of flow parameters is key, making clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters like Flexim’s indispensable. This non-intrusive technology is proving to be a reliable and cost-effective solution, particularly in situations where traditional meters may be inconvenient to use, or a temporary replacement is required.

 The evolution of flow metering technologies

From ancient water clocks to contemporary ultrasonic meters, the evolution of flow measurement has been remarkable. Early industrial flowmeters, using fluid displacement methods, have given way to diverse options like vortex meters, Coriolis meters, and ultrasonic meters that offer unique advantages.

Benefits of clamp-on ultrasonic …

Get ready to make waves in 2024 with Future Water Association!

 

Get ready to make waves in 2024 with Future Water Association!

 

2023 has been a fascinating year as we have taken our report card to regulators, discussed with water companies and with politicians. It’s all about having the honest conversation and what we do next as a sector. How do we rethink our assets? How do we get more people into the sector and what does the future look like?

Future water has had an active engagement program, continued with our trademarked Water Dragons explored innovation through the IP lens, in addition to hosting another exciting Networks November! …

A wake-up call; the UK water industry is at a critical turning point.

Article by Paul Hubbard, Chairman AVK UK Group, and Group Management Board member at AVK Holding A/S.

A wake-up call; the UK water industry is at a critical turning point.

Recent coverage of the UK water sector in the national media has been almost universally negative: financial and commercial challenges; water leakage; dry spilling of sewage; water shortages and more. It is my experience, however, that all stakeholders in the sector are overwhelmingly motivated by a desire to deliver a world class water network for the citizens of the United Kingdom. This begs the question, what is stopping us all …