Universal access point for water (UAP4W)
Amount awarded: £224,010
Led by: SES Water
Partners: Northumbrian Water Limited, Southern Water Services Ltd, United Utilities Group Plc, Thames Water Utilities, Water Research Centre Limited, The University of Sheffield, Fluid Consulting Limited
Water companies in England and Wales have a challenging target to halve water leakage by 2050. In order to do this, they need an accurate understanding of the condition of the water mains and be able to carry out inspections and repairs without the need for expensive and disruptive excavations. This project will design a universal access point for water, which would provide a standardised entry point for pressurised water pipes. The access point will then be used for inserting cameras, leak location arrays, repair solutions, autonomous robotic solutions, and a host of other devices.
“We’re really excited to be developing the universal access point, which will enable water companies to reduce water leakage and manage their current buried asset base far more effectively, thus reducing the need amount of water abstracted, benefitting the not only the environment but our customers too.” – Jeremy Heath, Innovation Manager, SES Water
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We have now completed Phase 3 of the project, with two designs that best meet the Design Specification developed in Phase 1 being taken forward to Phase 4
Phase 4 of the UAP4W Project is the final phase where we pull together everything we have achieved and learned in the project to date, select the design or features that best meet the requirements, and document both the design and supporting information for potential uptake by manufacturers.
The UAP4W project has been highly consultative from beginning to end. Every interaction we have had with the Water Industry has reinforced the need for a Universal Access Point, clearly defined the specification that we should be working to and given us a wealth of feedback on each of the conceptual designs we have produced.
In the coming quarter, we will present our preferred design(s), and seek final feedback and approval from the Industry that we hope will adopt the Universal Access Point at scale, facilitating access for a multitude of purposes such as leakage, and advancing understanding of the network.
