SOCOTEC Secures AI-Driven Water Quality Monitoring Contract with Yorkshire Water
SOCOTEC UK & Ireland
Leader in testing, inspection and certification, SOCOTEC UK and Ireland has secured an innovative, AI-driven water quality monitoring contract with long-term client, Yorkshire Water.
The project, which is being funded through the prestigious Ofwat Water Breakthrough Challenge, places SOCOTEC at the forefront of emerging water quality monitoring technologies.
It sees SOCOTEC joining forces with UnifAI Technology, and Yorkshire Water as the project sponsor. The project serves as one of 16 solutions to have been awarded a share of £42 million, as part of the Ofwat Innovation Fund.
Matt Edwards, project lead at SOCOTEC, said of the new contract: “This project represents a significant advancement in how we approach water quality monitoring.
“By combining our expertise in environmental monitoring with cutting-edge AI technology, we’re working toward a future where sensors can provide real-time monitoring and alerts for the presence of harmful bacteria at bathing sites.
“We’re excited to begin this journey, continue to break new ground, and extend our work with a well-established, long-term client of ours, Yorkshire Water, as well as working with UnifAI Technology on the state-of-the-art technology which will be powering the project.”
The pioneering work will see SOCOTEC, Yorkshire Water and UnifAI coming together, in order to implement advanced monitoring systems that aims to transform how water quality is assessed across the industry.
SOCOTEC will be responsible for the installation and maintenance of sophisticated water quality instrumentation across the Yorkshire region, as well as conducting daily data checks, creating weekly interim reports, and managing over 7,000 river spot samples for laboratory analysis.
Faye Cossins, coastal delivery and engagement manager, Yorkshire Water, said: “We’re excited to see the results of this innovation project that aims to significantly reduce the time and cost of expanding large-scale continuous bacteria monitoring at 20 inland bathing water sites.
“This solution aligns with national priorities for public health and environmental protection and enables water users to access real time information on water quality so they can safely and confidently enjoy our rivers and bathing sites.
“It is an emotive subject, and we know one that matters to our customers and to our stakeholders and we are determined to work with our partners and stakeholders towards the common goal of improving bathing water quality to find solutions that are right for customers and right for the environment.”
The monitoring equipment deployed by SOCOTEC will measure critical water quality parameters including Temperature, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Ammonium, and Turbidity. This comprehensive data collection will then feedback and provide the foundation for UnifAI’s artificial intelligence development.
Ultimately, the project’s aims are to utilise advanced sensors alongside pioneering usage of AI to help provide real-time monitoring and alerts for the presence of harmful bacteria at bathing sites.
As Dan Byles, Chief Commercial Officer at UnifAI Technology, explains, the issue couldn’t be more timely: “Recreational water sites are becoming more popular than ever with swimmers and people enjoying water sports. Keeping people safe is essential, and the way we have previously monitored bathing waters for harmful bacteria such as e.coli simply isn’t good enough anymore.
“Testing water samples in a laboratory once every week or two doesn’t give water users the live information they need to make safe and informed choices. At UnifAI Technology we are proud to have pioneered the use of sensors and AI to provide continuous, real-time monitoring for harmful bacteria.
“Working with SOCOTEC and Yorkshire Water is a critical step in scaling this solution across the country.”
The partnership highlights SOCOTEC’s commitment to innovation and technical excellence in environmental monitoring, while opening doors for future collaborative opportunities in the water sector.
