Trials are continuing in Seaham, County Durham for Pipebot Patrol, a £1.8 million innovation project led by Northumbrian Water. A blockage-detecting robot is sending back its first signals from inside the sewer network, helping engineers to spot early build-ups before they cause flooding.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in Kent helped Southern Water find a significant blockage beneath the streets of Folkestone - which threatened to cause misery to the local community.

Following a successful trial by Severn Trent of an innovative new technology developed by French firm SUEZ to help detect potential problems in its sewer network, the water company now intends to purchase the devices and recruit a team of operators. The SewerBall® technology helped Severn Trent engineers detect potential problems in its network of sewer pipes up to three times more quickly than by using traditional methods.

Yorkshire Water and its partners Morrisons Water Services and Intelligent Gels have successfully trialled the use of gel to remove sediments from rising mains.

Anglian Water has welcomed the Government’s announcement that it will ban sales of wet wipes containing plastic, subject to consultation.

Northumbrian Water’s Bin the Wipe campaign in the North East to tackle sewer blockages and reduce home flooding incidents is set to be expanded nationwide by industry association Water UK for 2023.

Environmental charity Thames21 is calling for the government to make an immediate decision on banning plastic in wet wipes in order to help tackle this sewage-based pollution ending up in the River Thames.

Drainage experts Lanes Group have announced the launch of this year’s Unblocktober campaign, calling on individuals and businesses to take the Unblocktober pledge to clean drains and reduce the impact that waste is having on the climate and ecology in the UK.

An early alert system implemented by Yorkshire Water to detect equipment failure before it occurs has successfully prevented possible pollution incidents in Gargrave, near Skipton and Balby, Doncaster.

Yorkshire Water is expanding its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict blockages within its sewer network, in a bid to reduce pollution risks in the region.