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Pipebots for rising mains project

When a toilet is flushed or the tap is run, the wastewater runs off through sewers downhill. If it gets too deep, it needs to be pumped back up against gravity. It will be pumped into another section of sewer or to a treatment works. These pumped sections are called rising mains.

The mains are regularly pumped. Due to this, it's impossible to shut them down without significant disruption. This causes difficulties when trying to assess mains for their condition. When a rising main section bursts it is very hard to manage and can cause pollution. 

How we're using pipebots

We researched taking pipebots through pipes to identify sections that need replacing. This will help to target repairs in a cost-effective way. It will also help reduce the environmental risk from burst sewers. 

Some robots exist for this kind of work in the petrochemicals industry. However, these are built to work with different materials and thicknesses of pipe. We reviewed if these can be adapted for the water sector.

We worked in partnership with the University of Sheffield and Synthotech. As part of the project, we:

  • Explored which sensors could be used to measure deterioration in rising mains
  • Reviewed how sensors and the robot would function once inside the pipes
  • Evaluated the potential for a new measurement technique

The sensors could then be made available to be deployed on wastewater networks around the UK. It will pave the way for robotics in fully pressurised sewer pipes. 

Preventing bursts and pollutions to the environment is a top priority and robots are already used to assess the condition of some sewer pipes. Testing this technology on pressurised sewage pipes will help the water industry protect and carry out maintenance work on its sewer networks for years to come.
Rachel Cunningham
Networks R&D Manager, Thames Water 

Next stage

The project started in July 2022 and completed in November 2023. As part of this, the research and feasibility study has been completed. Funding for phase two was announced by Ofwat in May 2024.