SOCOTEC UK and Ireland has landed a groundbreaking contract for AI-driven water quality monitoring with Yorkshire Water. This initiative, backed by the Ofwat Water Breakthrough Challenge, positions SOCOTEC as a leader in innovative water quality technologies.
A Partnership for Innovation
The project represents a collaboration between SOCOTEC, UnifAI Technology, and Yorkshire Water, the project’s sponsor. It is one of 16 projects awarded a portion of £42 million from the Ofwat Innovation Fund.
Significance of the Project
According to Matt Edwards, project lead at SOCOTEC, this contract signifies a major leap in water quality monitoring. By leveraging their environmental monitoring expertise with cutting-edge AI technology, SOCOTEC aims to provide real-time alerts for harmful bacteria in bathing sites.
Key Objectives and Contributions
The working partnership involves installing advanced monitoring systems to revolutionize water quality assessment across the industry. SOCOTEC will manage:
- Installation and maintenance of sophisticated water quality instrumentation across Yorkshire.
- Daily data checks and creation of weekly interim reports.
- Analysis of over 7,000 river spot samples in laboratories.
Health and Environmental Benefits
Faye Cossins, coastal delivery and engagement manager at Yorkshire Water, highlighted the project’s potential to cut down on the time and costs associated with large-scale continuous bacteria monitoring at 20 inland bathing sites. This innovation aligns with national priorities, ensuring public health and environmental protection while providing users real-time water quality data.
Advanced Monitoring Capabilities
The monitoring systems deployed by SOCOTEC will assess critical water quality parameters such as:
- Temperature
- Conductivity
- Dissolved Oxygen
- pH
- Ammonium
- Turbidity
This comprehensive data collection will support UnifAI’s AI development, ultimately enabling efficient monitoring of harmful bacteria.
The Need for Real-Time Data
Dan Byles, Chief Commercial Officer at UnifAI Technology, emphasized the importance of timely information in recreational water safety. Traditional methods, which involve laboratory testing every week or two, are no longer sufficient for ensuring public safety.
By developing continuous, real-time monitoring systems for harmful bacteria, this collaboration aims to enhance water safety for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts across the country. The efforts of SOCOTEC, Yorkshire Water, and UnifAI Technology represent a pivotal step toward improving bathing water quality, ensuring both customer satisfaction and environmental health.
