Residents across the North East of England are benefiting from investment in “smart sewers” that use cutting-edge technology to reduce sewage spills and clean up the environment.
Visiting Northumbrian Water’s Howdon Sewage Treatment works on 12 March, Water Minister Emma Hardy highlighted the project as a prime example of how £104 billion in private sector investment—the largest since privatisation—is driving forward major water infrastructure nationwide, including sewage pipes, treatment works, and nine reservoirs.
The Minister was given a demonstration of the “smart sewers” that use a mix of artificial intelligence and sensors along the sewer pipes to predict when and where it will rain. This allows them to change the flow and direction of wastewater, reducing the likelihood of sewage spills at times of heavy rainfall.
The visit to Howdon Sewage Treatment Works is the latest in a series of visits that the Environment Secretary Steve Reed and Water Minister Emma Hardy are making on a ‘Things Can Only Get Cleaner’ tour this week, to see where investment in water infrastructure will underpin the building of new homes, create jobs and turbocharge local economies – a cornerstone of the government’s Plan for Change.
The Minister also saw a pioneering scheme that strips away ammonia from wastewater and turns it into green fuel. The project – which received £225,000 funding from Ofwat’s Innovation Fund – also helps to reduce overall energy demand and helps the company’s goal of achieving net zero in 2027.
The site, in North Tyneside, serves a domestic population of around 840,000 and planned upgrades aim to improve the site’s resilience and capacity for future growth.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said:
“We’ve been clear that we must go further and faster to fix our water infrastructure to secure sustainable growth, unlock new homes and deliver the government’s Plan for Change.
“Record investments in upgrading and building new water infrastructure will support the building of 1.5 million new homes and power new industries, such as data centres.
“This project is a prime example of one of the many exciting and innovative solutions in the water sector, using artificial intelligence to drive down sewage spills and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.”
Significant reforms are already reshaping the water sector, with bold action driving real change. Money earmarked for investment will be ringfenced so it can only be spent on infrastructure upgrades – and returned to customers where it is not spent – while the groundbreaking Water (Special Measures) Act will ban bonuses for water executives who pollute.
The independent Water Commission is also tasked with examining the reforms needed to reset the water system and make it fit for the future.
