WET News

News: Senior management changes announced at Clancy Group. P4 Onsite: BIM drives collaboration on Scottish Water and ESD's Tullich WTW project. P12 Utility Week Live Special: Utilities in transition. P18 WET NEWS WATER AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT NEWS Government invests millions in robots in e ort to drive down roadworks disruption FEBRUARY 2019 Volume 25 • Issue 2 Kier CEO exits as board opts for new leadership Water sector steps up ght against fatbergs T h e G o v e r n m e n t h a s announced that new micro robots will be built to repair the UK's huge underground pipe network in an effort to signifi- cantly cut the disruption caused by the 1.5 million road excava- tions that take place every year. A collaborative team led by the University of She• eld, work- ing alongside the universities of Bristol, Birmingham and Leeds, has received £7 million from the Government through the Engi- neering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) plus a £2 million contribution from the universities. They will try to develop 1cm long robotic devices that use sensors and navigation systems to ‹ nd and mend cracks in pipes. They are intended to be used in 'swarms', whereby large numbers are used in coordination. The project will be carried out in collaboration with a number of industry partners including key water utilities in the UK, which will help to develop a set of requirements for the new per- vasive robotic sensing platform to work in clean water, waste- water and gas pipes. The University of She• eld's Professor Kirill V Horoshenkov, the lead academic for the project, said: "Our new research pro- gramme will help utility compa- nies monitor hidden pipe infra- structure and solve problems quickly and e• ciently when they arise. This will mean less disrup- t i o n f o r t r a f f i c a n d ge n e r a l public." He added: "This innovation will be the first of its kind to deploy swarms of miniaturised robots in buried pipes together with other emerging in-pipe sen- sor, navigation and communica- tion solutions with long-term autonomy." The University of Bristol is responsible for developing the sensors, which will be used for navigation, communication between devices and detection of leaks and blockages. "It is really good for us to be involved in this new technology as artificial intelligence and swarm robots are really beginning K ier CEO Haydn Mursell has left the company with immediate eš ect. The announcement comes a› er Kier completed a £250 million rights issue in December, allowing shareholders the right to buy shares at a discount to the current trading price, but only 38 per cent took up the option. Philip Cox, the company chair- man, will take up the role of execu- tive chairman until Mursell's replacement is appointed. "The board believes that, fol- lowing the completion of the recent rights issue, now is the right time for a new leader to take Kier forward to the next stage of its development," Cox said. "The board would like to thank Haydn for his contribution during eight years on the board, firstly as ‹ nance director and then as chief executive. On behalf of the board, I would like to wish him every success in the future." Net debt fell from £239 million at the end of 2017 to £130 million last year due to the rights issue proceeds and acceleration of sup- ply chain payments. Average month-end net debt for the six months ended 31 December 2018 was £370 million, from £410 mil- lion for the previous six months. T he battle to cut down on fatbergs has received a boost with the publication of a new o• cial standard identifying which wet wipes can be ¥ ushed down toilets safely. Manufacturers of wipes will be able to feature an o• cial water industry 'Fine to Flush' symbol on their packaging if they pass strict scienti‹ c tests. This symbol will let consumers know that the products do not contain plastic and will break down in the sewer system instead of clogging up sewers and con- tributing to fatbergs, which cause blockages and sewage over¥ ows. Fatbergs – mainly caused by a build-up of wet wipes, fats, oils and grease – have been increasing in frequency. "This is an important step in the battle against blockages," Water UK chief executive Michael Roberts said. "We've all seen the impact of fatbergs recently, and we want to see fewer of them. Improving the environment is at the core of what the water industry does, and the new 'Fine to Flush' standard that we've created will make it easier for consumers to buy an environmentally friendly product instead of one which clogs up drains and sewers." to take oš ," Bruce Drink- water, Professor of Ultrason- ics at Bristol University, told the Bristol Post. "Not only that but we get to try and solve the prob- lems that are facing society." A further 14 projects backed by £19.6 million Government investment, through the Indus- trial Strategy Challenge Fund "A long pipeline does not have to be a barrier to e‡ cient sludge transfer" SEEPEX UK's Lesley Eaton, P14 "We basically used the asset records the diŠ erent utilities held, combined them into an integrated map and made that accessible" Ordnance Survey's Carsten Roensdorf on the new digital underground mapping system with NWG, P8 SEEPEX UK's Lesley ª Scientists to attempt to create tiny robotic devices that could find and repair cracks in pipes (ISCF), will see robots sent to hazardous work places such as oš shore wind-farms and nuclear decommissioning facilities. Researchers will test new tech- nologies, such as the use of AI so› ware on satellites in orbit to detect when repairs are needed a n d d ro n e s f o r o i l p i p e l i n e monitoring. "While for now we can only dream of a world without road- works disrupting our lives, these pipe-repairing robots herald the start of technology that could make that dream a reality in the future," Science Minister Chris Skidmore said. "From deploying robots in our pipe network, so cutting down tra• c delays, to using robots in workplaces to keep people safer, this new technology could change the world we live in for the better. Experts in our top UK universities across the country are well- equipped to develop this innova- tive new technology. "We have put research and development at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy, with the biggest boost to funding in UK history to create high skill jobs and boost productivity across the country." "While for now we can only dream of a world without roadworks disrupting our lives, these pipe- repairing robots herald the start of technology that could make that dream a reality in the future" Science Minister Chris Skidmore

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