Latest news with #WaterUK
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Wolverhampton university tackles water leakage with AI satellites
University researchers in Wolverhampton have been awarded £1.3m to use AI-driven satellite technology to help solve the costly and time-consuming process of detecting water South Staffs Water, the team will build, launch and operate a fleet of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) micro satellites, which can find leaks "with unprecedented efficiency and precision".Using AI techniques with high-resolution satellite imagery, researchers said they want to deliver faster, more accurate and cost-effective monitoring of costs are projected to be at least 10 times lower than current satellite-based methods, the university said. Water loss is a persistent issue for the UK industry, with an estimated 19% of the supply lost before it reaches consumers, according to Water UK, costing £3.2bn annually across the utilities university said traditional detection methods, such as acoustic monitoring and tracer gas detection, are labour-intensive and inefficient, typically locating fewer than one leak per day per crew and costing between £250 and £2,000 per inspection. Other satellite-based technologies have improved detection rates, but high operational costs and image refresh rates of between seven and 14 days still limit their the £1.3m funding from water regulation service Ofwat's Innovation Fund, the team said they can create high-frequency imaging and have fresh data every six hours with sharper resolution to pinpoint AI-powered detection then reduces costs and enables rapid deployment beyond the UK, the university Mohammad Patwary, director of the university's digital innovation and solution centre (DISC) and project lead, said: "This Ofwat initiated opportunity marks a major innovation leap for the UK, enhancing the water industry's efficiency and infrastructure longevity, while creating a platform for critical sectors, like energy, transport, and telecom, and positioning the UK as a leader in LEO satellite-driven innovation and productivity."The team will use six satellites as part of the project called Space Eye and liaise with several other water firms in the UK. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Government says water company investigations have increased
The government says it has overseen a large increase in criminal investigations into water companies for alleged breaches of environmental law. It said in a statement the Environment Agency was looking at dozens of alleged offences which included releasing excessive pollution and not carrying out adequate water quality monitoring. The government said the regulator had launched 81 criminal probes since last July's election after hiring 400 more staff for the purpose and that it had initiated proceedings against seven companies. Water UK, which represents water companies, said in a statement that firms should be investigated and held to account when necessary. The announcement comes amid public anger over pollution in rivers and seas. The number of pollution incidents recorded by water companies in England is at a 10-year high, according to data released by campaigners last month. The increase in Environment Agency inspectors is partly due to a recruitment drive from the previous Conservative government. In February 2024 the Conservatives said they planned to quadruple water inspections and hire an additional 500 staff for inspections and enforcement. None of the 81 investigations have so far led to convictions, which often take years to work their way through the court systems. But the government said they could lead to water companies being fined hundreds of millions of pounds. "This Labour Government is cleaning up the foul mess the Tories left behind with a record number of criminal investigations into law-breaking water companies - which could see bosses behind bars," said Environment Secretary Steve Reed. The Conservative Party defended its record in response, with a spokesman saying that while it was in government it had begun the process of reforming water and sewage systems and taken action to ban bonuses for bosses of water companies that committed criminal breaches. "The Labour Government made big promises on water, and we will continue to hold them to account to ensure they continue the work of the previous Conservative Government to improve our water and sewage systems for billpayers," the spokesman said. "It's good to see the Government finally taking water pollution seriously," said CEO of campaigners River Action, James Wallace. But he pointed out that water bosses could only serve jail time for obstructing investigations, not for pollution itself. "Jail time for water bosses remains highly unlikely," he said. "The law only applies to cover-ups — and there's no need to hide what's already happening in plain sight, week in, week out." Southern Water was hit with a record £126m punishment in 2019 for spills of wastewater into the environment from its sewage plants and for deliberately misreporting its performance. Greenpeace UK head of politics Ami McCarthy said: "Water firms have got away with flouting rules and pumping sewage into our rivers for far too long, so it's good to see ministers finally throwing the book at these serial polluters." She also urged the government to ensure that consumers did not foot the bill of any fines issued to water companies. "It is right that water companies are investigated and held to account when things go wrong," Water UK said in a statement. "Almost 99% of sewage and water treatment works meet their [pollution limit] permits and we are focused on getting to 100%."
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Government says water company investigations have increased
The government says it has overseen a large increase in criminal investigations into water companies for alleged breaches of environmental said in a statement the Environment Agency was looking at dozens of alleged offences which included releasing excessive pollution and not carrying out adequate water quality government said the regulator had launched 81 criminal probes since last July's election after hiring 400 more staff for the purpose and that it had initiated proceedings against seven UK, which represents water companies, said in a statement that firms should be investigated and held to account when necessary. The announcement comes amid public anger over pollution in rivers and seas. The number of pollution incidents recorded by water companies in England is at a 10-year high, according to data released by campaigners last increase in Environment Agency inspectors is partly due to a recruitment drive from the previous Conservative government. In February 2024 the Conservatives said they planned to quadruple water inspections and hire an additional 500 staff for inspections and of the 81 investigations have so far led to convictions, which often take years to work their way through the court systems. But the government said they could lead to water companies being fined hundreds of millions of pounds."This Labour Government is cleaning up the foul mess the Tories left behind with a record number of criminal investigations into law-breaking water companies - which could see bosses behind bars," said Environment Secretary Steve Conservative Party defended its record in response, with a spokesman saying that while it was in government it had begun the process of reforming water and sewage systems and taken action to ban bonuses for bosses of water companies that committed criminal breaches."The Labour Government made big promises on water, and we will continue to hold them to account to ensure they continue the work of the previous Conservative Government to improve our water and sewage systems for billpayers," the spokesman said."It's good to see the Government finally taking water pollution seriously," said CEO of campaigners River Action, James he pointed out that water bosses could only serve jail time for obstructing investigations, not for pollution itself."Jail time for water bosses remains highly unlikely," he said. "The law only applies to cover-ups — and there's no need to hide what's already happening in plain sight, week in, week out."Southern Water was hit with a record £126m punishment in 2019 for spills of wastewater into the environment from its sewage plants and for deliberately misreporting its UK head of politics Ami McCarthy said: "Water firms have got away with flouting rules and pumping sewage into our rivers for far too long, so it's good to see ministers finally throwing the book at these serial polluters."She also urged the government to ensure that consumers did not foot the bill of any fines issued to water companies."It is right that water companies are investigated and held to account when things go wrong," Water UK said in a statement. "Almost 99% of sewage and water treatment works meet their [pollution limit] permits and we are focused on getting to 100%."
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
England sees driest spring since 1956: Government agency
England has seen the driest start to spring for 69 years, the UK government's Environment Agency said, amid concerns over possible drought in coming months. For England as a whole, April was "the third consecutive month of below average rainfall, and the driest February to April period since 1956", the agency said in a report Tuesday. Rainfall in April had been either below normal or lower in more than three-quarters of areas, it said, adding the three-month cumulative totals were also low or exceptionally low across most of England. In some regions, like northeastern and northwestern England, the first four months were the driest of any year since 1929. The start of May had also seen very little rainfall, and conditions were expected to remain dry throughout mid-May. The agency, a government-sponsored regulatory body, held a meeting of its national drought group last week. Deputy director of water Richard Thompson told the meeting that climate change meant "we will see more summer droughts in the coming decades". "The last two years were some of the wettest on record for England, but drier conditions at the start of this year mean a drought is a possibility," he added. The particularly dry start to the year meant water companies were "moving water across their regions to relieve the driest areas", a spokesperson for Water UK, the industry body representing water suppliers, told AFP on Wednesday. Extreme weather events have been rising across the country in past years due to climate change. Since the 1980s, Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average, making it the fastest-warming continent on Earth. Britain has been battered by major storms, as well as been hit by flooding and heatwaves, with many places registering record 40-degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) temperatures in July 2022. Droughts have also helped fan record numbers of wildfires -- some 500 in 2022. The Climate Change Committee, which advises the government, said last month the shifts towards "drier and hotter summers will increase the intensity of summer heatwaves and droughts, with rising risks of surface water flooding". Scientists say the current period is likely the warmest the Earth has been for the last 125,000 years.
eNCA
16-05-2025
- Climate
- eNCA
England sees driest spring since 1956: government agency
UK - England has seen the driest start to spring for 69 years, the UK government's Environment Agency said, amid concerns over possible drought in coming months. For England as a whole, April was "the third consecutive month of below average rainfall, and the driest February to April period since 1956", the agency said in a report Tuesday. Rainfall in April had been either below normal or lower in more than three-quarters of areas, it said, adding the three-month cumulative totals were also low or exceptionally low across most of England. In some regions, like northeastern and northwestern England, the first four months were the driest of any year since 1929. The start of May had also seen very little rainfall, and conditions were expected to remain dry throughout mid-May. The agency, a government-sponsored regulatory body, held a meeting of its national drought group last week. Deputy director of water Richard Thompson told the meeting that climate change meant "we will see more summer droughts in the coming decades". "The last two years were some of the wettest on record for England, but drier conditions at the start of this year mean a drought is a possibility," he added. The particularly dry start to the year meant water companies were "moving water across their regions to relieve the driest areas", a spokesperson for Water UK, the industry body representing water suppliers, told AFP on Wednesday. Extreme weather events have been rising across the country in past years due to climate change. Since the 1980s, Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average, making it the fastest-warming continent on Earth. Britain has been battered by major storms, as well as been hit by flooding and heatwaves, with many places registering record 40-degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) temperatures in July 2022. Droughts have also helped fan record numbers of wildfires - some 500 in 2022. The Climate Change Committee, which advises the government, said last month the shifts towards "drier and hotter summers will increase the intensity of summer heatwaves and droughts, with rising risks of surface water flooding".
