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Rising main bursts contribute significantly to the number of pollution incidents. As rising mains are pressurised assets, if a burst occurs a large volume of sewage can escape quickly and can be difficult to contain.
Alongside our ongoing business as usual asset maintenance, we have invested in two new forms of technology which is helping us to prevent bursts, while giving us greater detection capabilities when burst occur.
Syrinix
Syrinix uses pressure monitors on our rising mains to measure the level of pressure within the sewer. The pressure within the rising main should follow a steady pattern in line with the operation of the pumps that push sewage along them. A sudden loss of pressure can indicate a burst. The Syrinix system sends a live alert to our Operational Management Centre who can then investigate and deploy teams to mitigate the burst. Another benefit of this system is the detection of performance issues within the main sewer, with negative pressures or pressure spikes indicative of a burst. We have installed 495 rising mains monitors across the highest risk assets in our network.
Ovarro
Ovarro uses algorithms on data that is already collected through our telemetry system. It analyses the filling and emptying times of a wet well in relation to the pumps, identifying any deviations from normal behaviour. The data is refreshed every 90 minutes and any changes in data generates an alert, which our analysts interpret and action. We have 100% coverage of Ovarro on our rising mains already. To date, more than 2,000 alerts have been generated with an accuracy rate of around 70%. As the algorithm continues to improve over time, the accuracy of these alerts will too.
Ovarro can also be used to detect performance issues with pumping stations, prompting us to act before a failure occurs. Throughout 2023/24 we are continuing to hone the way we interpret the alerts and also explore other ways to utilise this technology to reduce pollutions. For example, we are exploring opportunities to use Ovarro to support our maintenance programme, moving away from time-based maintenance and towards performance-based maintenance. We’re also exploring how it can help us to detect possible inlet blockages on pumping stations.
To support the implementation of Syrinix and Ovarro we are continuing to train and support the frontline team using these new technologies. In turn, they are learning how to best harness these technologies and identifying opportunities to leverage the information we’re receiving. We expect to the realise the full benefits of Syrinix and Ovarro in the next two years.