Opencast Consultancy is spearheading a pioneering smart sewage initiative in the North East, designed to curb storm overflow discharges.
- Northumbrian Water’s £20 million project, a UK first, integrates advanced technology to reduce discharges across Tyneside.
- The venture harnesses sensors and AI analytics, building upon successful strategies employed in the US, which have cut discharges by 80% over a decade.
- Opencast partners with US-based HydroDigital and integrates innovative solutions with local infrastructure.
- The smart sewer system utilises predictive analytics to manage network capacity, improving decision-making and reducing discharges.
Northumbrian Water has initiated a groundbreaking £20 million project to significantly mitigate storm overflow discharges throughout the Tyneside region. This ambitious enterprise, the first of its kind in the UK, incorporates cutting-edge technology, including sensors and AI analytics, that have already proven effective in the United States, achieving an 80% reduction in discharges over the past ten years.
Opencast, a key collaborator, is working alongside HydroDigital—a US-based leader in water technology—to roll out this smart sewer technology. With over two decades of experience and a global portfolio of more than 40 utilities, HydroDigital brings invaluable expertise to the project. The partnership also includes fellow innovative firms Bluesmith and Axiologik, working to integrate this technology.
Andrew Howard, a director at Opencast, highlights the collaborative endeavour’s user-centred design approach, assuring ease of use and seamless digital integration for operational management. He emphasises the project’s significance, saying, “Discharges from storm overflows into our seas, lakes and rivers is a very high-profile problem – and we’re proud to be part of such an innovative partnership tackling the issue.”
Storm overflows, used to prevent residential flooding during heavy rain, serve as crucial relief valves within wastewater networks. By employing smart sensors and leveraging weather forecasts, the new system anticipates where sewer networks may soon reach capacity, thus enabling proactive flow management. This dynamic system will allow Northumbrian Water to balance the network’s capacity across various areas, reducing the likelihood of discharges while facilitating targeted infrastructure investments.
The project is further enhanced by a digital twin—a virtual replica of the sewer network—that utilises predictive analytics to derive optimal strategies for discharge minimisation. Harry Armstrong, Opencast’s Chief Growth Officer, underscores the project’s broader potential, noting its capability to transform sewage management practices both nationally and internationally.
This project marks a significant step forward in sustainable sewage management, with the potential to serve as a model for future initiatives globally.