Northumbrian Water has partnered with Spring Innovation and a consortium of organizations, including Environmental Monitoring Solutions, Minicam Group, Jet Aire, local councils, Thames Water, Southern Water, and the University of Sheffield, to deploy Pipebot Patrol, the world’s first autonomous sewer robot in a live network.
Backed by £1.8 million in funding from Ofwat’s Water Breakthrough Challenge, the robot is built to patrol pipelines for up to 30 days, detect early-stage blockages via mobile sensors and real-time data, and alert operators to precise locations before flooding occurs.
After successful laboratory trials, the upcoming field phase will evaluate performance in real-world sewer conditions. The system promises environmental benefits, lower emergency response costs, better mapping of sewer infrastructure, and improved safety by reducing human entry into hazardous pipelines.
