Are UK water companies prepared for another record-breaking summer?

Friday, 23 February 2024

With global temperatures rising above 1.48 *C than the baseline target, 2023 was the warmest year in the past 174 years of observations. In the UK it was officially the second warmest year after 2022 (which was just 0.6 *C higher). With temperatures rising yearly at record rates, tensions loom around the water sector's ability to handle the record demand. And now with Met Office’s outlook for 2024 suggesting that it could be the hottest year for the UK so far, the question on everyone’s mind is: Are UK water utility companies truly prepared for the challenges a scorching 2024 summer may bring?

Climate Change: A Double-Edged Sword?

Climate change presents a double threat. Increased evaporation and household demand push water demand up, while erratic rainfall patterns and reduced snowfall shrink supply. This puts an immense strain on our water infrastructure. But it's not just water levels. Extreme heat and heavy downpours trigger erratic soil movement, leading to pipeline failures and damage to dams and reservoirs. This unseen threat can disrupt water supplies for entire communities. Traditional monitoring often struggles to keep pace with these rapid changes, resulting in reactive repairs after damage occurs. This is costly, time-consuming, and wastes precious water resources.

InSAR: Seeing the Unseen to Protect the Essential

InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology offers a powerful solution. This satellite-based technique utilises radar signals to scan the Earth's surface, enabling the detection of even the subtlest changes in ground and structural displacement with millimetre-year-level precision.

This allows water companies to proactively identify potential problems before they escalate into infrastructure failures. Think of it as an early warning system, pinpointing areas susceptible to pipeline breaks due to shifting soil and enabling targeted maintenance to prevent disruptions.

The DRIPIN Project: Putting InSAR into Action

SatSense's DRIPIN project supported by the European Space Agency integrates InSAR data into decision-making. SatSense uses advanced AI and ML techniques to analyse historical failure and movement data over the entire water utility network. When the learnings are plotted this allows water companies to prioritize and target preventative measures, optimizing resource allocation and maximizing efficiency. More information about the DRIPIN project is available at this link: Using InSAR data to predict pipe failures

From Reactive to Proactive: A Secure Water Future

By embracing InSAR, water utilities can move from reactive repairs to proactive, data-driven infrastructure management. This empowers them to:

• Guarantee resilient water supply: Minimize disruptions and safeguard water security even in the face of climate challenges.

• Optimize resource allocation: Prioritize maintenance efforts based on real-time data, saving time, money, and water.

• Future-proof their network: Make informed investment decisions based on accurate insights into potential vulnerabilities.

Investing in InSAR is an investment in a secure and sustainable water future. Don't wait for disaster to strike. Contact SatSense today to learn how DRIPIN can empower your water utility to thrive in a changing climate, email us at contact@satsense.com.

SatSense Santa Tracker: Bringing Christmas Magic to Your DoorstepThursday, 05 December 2024 SatSense and Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Partner to Revolutionise Ground Movement Monitoring in TürkiyeTuesday, 23 July 2024 SatSense continues to support STEM students to drive innovationWednesday, 08 May 2024 Are UK water companies prepared for another record-breaking summer?Friday, 23 February 2024 Monitoring Rail Infrastructure Using InSARWednesday, 07 February 2024 Revolutionising Infrastructure Monitoring Using InSAR DataThursday, 01 February 2024 SatSense Gets Contract for the DRIPIN Demonstration ProjectWednesday, 24 January 2024 How can asset managers get the most out of InSAR? Monday, 21 August 2023 How can InSAR data be used in GIS software? Monday, 21 August 2023 7 Reasons Why Civil Engineers Should Be Using InSARMonday, 21 August 2023 SatSense and GNS Science Partner to Revolutionise Ground Movement Monitoring in New ZealandThursday, 20 July 2023 Do Onshore Wind Farms Come with Geotechnical Risk?Thursday, 22 September 2022 Our Water Networks Handled the Heat Last Time But What About the Next?Thursday, 11 August 2022 Analysing Bridge Movement Using Satellite DataFriday, 06 May 2022 To What Extent Can We Monitor Ageing Infrastructure?Tuesday, 03 May 2022 The Climate Change Challenge Facing Rail InfrastructureWednesday, 27 April 2022 Keeping Rail Asset Management on the Right Tracks with InSARWednesday, 06 April 2022 Remotely Monitoring Ground Movement for Water UtilitiesTuesday, 22 March 2022 A Damming DilemmaThursday, 10 March 2022 How Can Asset Managers Remotely Monitor Ground Movement?Tuesday, 08 March 2022 Using InSAR to Monitor Assets in Remote LocationsMonday, 28 February 2022 Overcoming Site Monitoring Challenges with InSARWednesday, 23 February 2022 Project Update: Using InSAR Data to Monitor Disused Coal Tips in WalesFriday, 28 January 2022 How Can Remote Technology Aid Tunnelling Engineers?Thursday, 13 January 2022 What Did 2021 Look Like for SatSense?Monday, 20 December 2021 Using InSAR to Monitor Rates of Coastal ErosionWednesday, 15 December 2021 Is it Time to Ground the Extraction of Groundwater?Tuesday, 30 November 2021 SatSense Appoints John McArthur as Chairman to Prepare for Further GrowthTuesday, 30 November 2021 Dam Important DataTuesday, 05 October 2021 Real Time Data Dashboards and the Future of Smart Asset MonitoringTuesday, 05 October 2021 LiDAR vs InSARMonday, 23 August 2021 SatShop Delivers Ground Movement Data at the Click of a ButtonThursday, 29 July 2021 The Light at the End of the TunnelWednesday, 21 July 2021 Join SatSense – we’re hiring!Thursday, 15 July 2021 Analysing movements of the UK’s railway with Network RailThursday, 24 June 2021 Using satellite data to reduce water leakageMonday, 19 April 2021 SatShop portal FAQ’s Friday, 09 April 2021 Satellite data at your fingertipsThursday, 04 March 2021 Avoiding mining disasters with InSAR dataTuesday, 26 January 2021 Using SatSense data to accelerate your geotechnical desk studyWednesday, 16 December 2020 Water treatment works expansionWednesday, 09 December 2020 Using InSAR data to magnify insight in previously unsighted industriesTuesday, 24 November 2020 Ways to improve InSAR data coverageWednesday, 07 October 2020 Automatically detecting movement of infrastructureFriday, 31 July 2020 Getting ground movement direction out of our dataWednesday, 08 July 2020 Creating the SatSense Data PortalTuesday, 07 July 2020 Detecting House Subsidence Using Satellites and InSARFriday, 05 June 2020 Risk indices for detecting ground movement issues using InSARMonday, 01 June 2020 Detecting sinkholes from spaceFriday, 08 May 2020 How SatSense stays ahead of the curveThursday, 07 May 2020 Matt reflects on joining SatSense and says a bit about himselfWednesday, 22 April 2020