Water network operations
Advanced monitoring, technology and data analysis for proactive water network management and maintenance planning.
Welsh Water Leakage Detection Services
RPS provides a contract resource of over 150 water technicians, engineers and analysts that used technology and innovation to help Welsh Water meet their strategic water leakage reduction targets.
Key details
Client:
Welsh Water
Location:
Wales
Services provided:
- Active water leakage detection
- Per capita consumption checks (Small Area Monitoring)
- Up-stream losses field services
Challenge
In 2019, Welsh Water was required to deliver a 15% reduction in reported leakage by 2025, as determined by the water industry regular, OFWAT. Ongoing operational costs, leakage reduction targets, meeting rising consumer expectations, keeping pace with a rapid growth in technology, and climate and demographic changes are just some of the challenges that Welsh Water was facing.
When the Covid-19 pandemic emerged the following year, these challenges were naturally made more complex, and Welsh Water required innovative solutions from their leakage field experts.
Solution
With an established relationship with Welsh Water spanning several years, we were able to understand their long-term business needs and vision for the future.
In 2020, RPS invested over £600K in new equipment, most of which was procured and mobilised within six weeks. This allowed Welsh Water and RPS to optimise the benefits required, earlier than forecasted. At our client’s request, we increased our field resource by 30%, to help them achieve their year-end target. This was despite some fluctuating weather conditions that caused unprecedented disruption to the water network due to eruptive burst mains.
Result
Welsh Water reported that they had been successful in the attainment of their year-end leakage target in 2021. We were able to support this by effectively mobilising our people, ensuring a high level of utilisation, and performing strongly against each of the key performance metrics.
Furthermore, our safety methods and protocols during Covid-19 lockdowns gave us an advantage in how we committed to this project. In the entire reporting year, there were only eight days lost, allowing us to report a ‘Green’ status on our Weekly Continuity Report to Welsh Water.
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