United Utilities has awarded an AMP8 contract for satellite leak detection with an estimated value of £1.2 million (inc VAT) to SUEZ Advanced Solutions UK Ltd, in partnership with Asterras, to deliver a satellite-based leak detection service using SAR Band technology.

The award of the contract was made to a single supplier for technical reasons- it procures an ongoing service that has already provided benefit during the Proof of Concept ( POC) phase and will continue to provide benefit to support consumption and leakage targets. The technology us in use now and is helping the water company maintain service above official drought levels.

This was originally a Pilot Deployment, and the trial was conducted during 2024 – 2025 covering Tameside and the Wirral. The trial demonstrated high success rates in leak detection, prompting an expansion of the engagement.

According to United Utilities, while other suppliers were considered, none were able to demonstrate comparable capabilities or results. The unique nature of the SAR Band technology and the proven success of the trial made SUEZ the only viable supplier. United Utilities said this is currently a tactical solution to support current requirements - a long term solution is being looked for 2026.

The advanced technology enables:

• Non-invasive, wide area monitoring of potential leak sites
• High-frequency scanning to support proactive maintenance
• Improved detection accuracy, particularly in hard-to-access or high-risk areas
• Operational efficiency gains through early identification and resolution of leaks

In addition to the core leak detection service, the solution also includes:

• Provision of a digital dashboard and mobile application to:
• Investigate and visualise Points of Interest
• Track leak detection progress and outcomes
• Monitor performance improvements over time
• Support incident response and resource prioritisation
• Quantify benefits and efficiency gains from the technology

The dashboard and app are integral to the service, enabling real-time collaboration between field teams, analysts, and asset managers, and ensuring that insights from satellite scans are actionable and measurable.

In terms of unique technical capability, SUEZ, in partnership with Asterras, offers a proprietary SAR Band satellite leak detection solution that is not currently available through any other supplier. The technology has been proven to detect subsurface treated water leaks with high precision, even in challenging terrains and urban environments.

United Utilities said there is no existing framework agreement or contract that covers this specific type of satellite-based leak detection service.In addition, traditional leak detection methods available through existing frameworks do not offer the same level of coverage, accuracy, or technological innovation.

Current estimated start and end contract dates are 15 August 2025 to 14 February 2026.