According to the UN data, 80% of the world’s wastewater is dumped – largely untreated – back into the environment, polluting the rivers, lakes and oceans. Water is a critical resource globally and water quality remains a major issue in India, which ranks 120 out of 122 countries in the water quality index as per the 2019 NITI Aayog report. Approximately, 70 per cent of its water is contaminated due to overpopulation, pollution, and groundwater exploitation.
“As the population grows and expands into our cities, we will see an increasing need for solutions that can strengthen our wastewater infrastructure. Water technologies have to keep pace with this growing demand to keep our waterways safe and prevent wastewater polluting the places where we live,” said Prasenjit Datta, Managing Director, Halma India.
“We have six water companies in the Halma group: HWM, Palintest, Sensorex, Minicam, Hydreka and UV Group. All of them are focused on bringing Halma’s purpose of growing a safer, cleaner and healthier future to life by solving different parts of the global water challenge, from ensuring water quality to preventing water leakage. Our companies Minicam Group and HWM have developed new digital solutions that can predict leaks, patrol pipes, and provide dynamic 24-hour insight into managing water infrastructure. While Minicam’s specialist robots can fix sewers, HWM’s sensors can detect leaks and alert when something goes wrong.”
Robots working in sewers
Minicam’s robots can be placed into pipes and remote-controlled through the network to identify any damage or blockages which need clearing. They have rugged wheels for navigating slippery pipes, as well as cameras and headlights to beam footage back to an operator above ground so they can track the movement. Each robot has several tools that can be attached depending on the job need.
Similarly, HWM’s sensors provide data helping engineers tackle the network and treatment plant issues before overspills and pollutions occur.
Both these technologies have helped extend the life of the aging wastewater networks in countries across Europe by assessing the condition of pipes and spotting blockages or damage that can be dealt with before they cause an overflow.
Digital twin and AI enabled smart sensors
Another technology that helps water companies predict potential events and prioritise decisions about where to invest in their network and infrastructure is the ‘digital twin.’ HWM’s leak detection, pressure and sewer monitoring sensors can be keyed in digital twin models, enabling water companies to run computer simulations of extreme weather events and assess the potential impact on their system based on a wide range of data inputs from across their networks.
“AI is playing an increasingly important role in preventive maintenance and network management, taking the guesswork out of pipe maintenance and ensuring the money is spent on repairs that are critical. Our company Minicam Group has partnered with VAPAR, a company offering AI-powered software, to provide faster and more accurate condition assessment of sewer networks in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Their innovative technology works by analysing huge datasets of pipe footage, then using its AI to prioritise and recommend which pipes need repair,” added Prasenjit.
–Business Wire India
