Northumbrian Water challenge: Monitoring water quality within the distribution network and real-time analysis

Northumbrian Water wants to improve its visibility and understanding of water quality within a designated district meter area (DMA). For this challenge it is looking to develop a workable sensoring regime within the DMA which would help monitor and manage water quality, flow and pressure in near real-time. In turn, this will help identify and notify potential and actual leaks within the system.

You can read more about Northumbrian Water and the two challenges here.

Angela MacOscar, Head of Innovation at Northumbrian Water, said:
“Being part of the Made Smarter Technology Accelerator programme allows us to open up some of our biggest challenges to the floor – meaning that we can welcome fresh and innovative solutions through collaboration with the start-ups in order to even further improve our exceptional customer service.

“Among some of our biggest challenges are sewer blockages and water network monitoring, and we can’t wait to see how the successful start-ups and scale-ups react and progress some solutions to these industry problems.”

This project is a joint collaboration between Riscon Solutions Ltd and Inventia UK

About Riscon Solutions Ltd

Riscon Solutions Limited is a UK based global consulting company specialising in information and knowledge management. It brings together specialists in physical engineering applications and digital expertise to develop optimum information system solutions for the engineering sector.

About Inventia UK

Inventia UK is a technology and innovation company providing disrupting and innovative end-to-end solutions for a broad range of sectors. With unrivalled knowledge and expertise in telecoms, big data mobility analytics and geospatial intelligence, Inventia delivered the first SIM-based track and trace solution and many smart city projects to help cities and organisations, around the globe, reach future sustainability goals today.

The solution

The ITERATION project delivers a cloud-enabled, remote water quality monitoring solution. The solution comprises a remote and self-sustaining water quality sensor module and associated cloud information system – utilised for signal capture, processing and analysis. This analysis will be integrated into Northumbrian Water operations and risk management framework, to improve operational performance metrics, such as reduced downtime of the system and cleaner, safer water delivered to households.

For Industry the solution will

• Develop remote and self-sustaining remote water quality sensor module
• Develop associated cloud infrastructure for signal capture, processing and analysis
• Integrate signal analysis into operational risk management frameworks

Top level business impacts will include the reduction in fines for the company and improved operational performance metrics such as reduced downtime of the system and cleaner/safer water delivered to households.

What the Made Smarter Technology Accelerator means to Riscon Solutions Ltd and Inventia UK

“The Made Smarter Technology Accelerator programme provides not only a stepped funding approach to allow for prototype development it presents the challenge in a project framework. The significant benefit of framing solutions within project consortiums and working closely with Northumbrian Water Challenge is that it allows resources from multiple locations to be aligned around one goal.” Roger Singleton, Managing Director, Riscon Solutions Ltd

“The Made Smarter Technology Accelerator, by Digital Catapult, is not only a great funded entry-to-market for us into the water supply market, but also a big opportunity to strengthen our existing smart city offerings. The Northumbrian Water challenge aligns perfectly with our vision to improve the life of humans and help organisations become more efficient. We are looking forward to helping Northumbrian Water visualise the water quality and flow throughout their massive network in the most cost-effective and innovative way”. Amir Kotb, Head of Technology & Founder, Inventia UK 

Business achievements

• Riscon Solutions Ltd – Funded project work with UNICEF and WHo on water quality testing
• Inventia UK – Innovate UK funding for Covid-19 response IoT technology

Prototype presentation

On 23 June 2021, the programme proudly presented the first phase insights and learnings for industry in an online event.  Watch the Riscon Solutions and Inventia UK pitch here: