The system uses Openreach’s fibre network to analyse changes in light travelling through fibreoptic cables that points to vibrations caused by leaking pipes located nearby. Machine-learning helps distinguish these signals from traffic, roadworks and other background noise, and estimates the location where the water is escaping. The resulting data allows engineers to investigate and repair leaks more quickly.
In a prior trial, on 650km of the UK water network, the system prevented the lost of more than four million litres of water per day.
Southern Water hopes the trial will show Lightsonic's potential as another tool in its water-saving efforts, strengthening drought resilience by easing pressure on reservoirs and reducing the need for abstraction from sensitive water sources like the River Test.
“Aging infrastructure, leaking networks and mounting climate pressure are converging, causing major water stress,” says Tommy Langnes, CEO of Lightsonic. “By utilising existing fibreoptic infrastructure, we have a solution that can be quickly and effectively scaled across the UK to help utility companies get a handle on leaks, secure supply and generate savings that can be reinvested to upgrade our aging network. The industry needs a quick and comprehensive response and that is what we offer.”