Solution

Make utilities
make sense

nuron fibre sensing technology is a step-change for sewer monitoring. It's not 'spot' but 'continuous' in-pipe sewer monitoring with in-built networking capabilities to transform wastewater infrastructure and build smart cities of the future.

Challenges and Drivers

Against a backdrop of increasing populations, urbanisation and unpredictable rainfall patterns and ageing assets; Water companies need to find efficiencies in how they manage their wastewater infrastructure.

Water companies are looking for innovative new ways to improve customer service (including reducing flooding and pollution incidents), provide affordability for all and deliver future proof and resilient networks.

With the global population increasing by 83 million people per year our ageing telecommunications networks cannot cope with the expanding data demand.

Fibre infrastructure providers are looking for faster, more secure and cost-effective way to build networks.

Ask us how we can help

The future needs to be digital, it is the only sustainable option

SWAN Circular Framework

The foundations of smart water and hence intelligent sewers are:  ​​

  1. Assets
  2. Sensing & control
  3. Collection & Communication
  4. Data Management

The outcomes of using digital twins, AI and machine learning is exponentially proportional to the quality and density of training data supplied.  

Water companies traditionally underestimated the cost and value of quality asset and operational data.   

The nuron system delivers all 4 of these in one highly efficient solution with no restriction on power and hence data transmission. 

A scalable solution is needed to provide reliable, real-time network-wide visibility to sewer operators​​

nuron provides a sensing solution that converts your network into intelligent infrastructure.  It is robotically installed with minimal disruption and delivers:

  • Remote real-time visibility through multiple parameters such as flow, depth and temperature every 5m along the pipe
  • Diagnosis and monitoring of operation issues to within metres such as pipe restrictions (blockages) and infiltration
  • Actionable insights into customer behaviour and security events
  • Built in fibre communications to provide a secure data network to support your digital transformation, with spare capacity that can be leased to communications operators to defray the costs of monitoring.  
As we combine sensing fibres and networking we liken our solution to a nervous system for the sewers.

nuron system sewer operators diagram

Linear measurements deliver full visibility

We often see the consequences of issues e.g., flooding or overflows but the root cause of the issues are harder to find. With linear monitoring you have multiple measurements every 5 metres along the sewer which can identify the root cause and exact location of the issue.  It also measures in pipe, so you can also monitor lateral inflows, allowing you to monitor the health of upstream connections and customer connections

nuron continuous sensor

nuron continous sewer sensor diagram

point sensor

point sensor diagram

Linear measurements vs current state of the art technology

Fibre sensing provides a step change in capability compared to spot monitoring.  It can providing 300 times more data points for 10% of the cost compared to spot monitors placed at major junctions and requires no power in the sewer.    

nuron Spot monitors
Power Supply Above ground In sewer
Communications Secure networking via fibre Relies on wireless coverage
Reach Many km Single location
Coverage Contiguous, man-entry and non-man-entry Access points only
Maintenance & Life Minimal Maintenance for 20+ years Regular maintenance for 5 – 7 years
Data Access Anywhere along the cable Pre-defined locations
Measurements Depth, velocity, flow rate, temperature, structural integrity Different sensors usually required for different variables, but no structural monitoring

Find out how our infratech solutions can work for you

Get in touch

 

 

communication

make infrastructure
make sense

nuron fibre sensing technology is the only dual-purpose technology on the market, providing both a step change in wastewater monitoring and providing sustainable open access fibre infrastructure, a backbone for smart cities of the future. Sewers are a safe and secure place to deploy communications infrastructure.

Fibre networks

nuron fibre sensing technology is the only dual-purpose technology on the market, providing both a step change in wastewater monitoring and providing sustainable open access fibre infrastructure, a backbone for smart cities of the future.  

Sewers are a safe and secure place to deploy communications infrastructure.

fibre networks

Ease of installation
  • Utilises existing infrastructure with access points
  • Minimal traffic disruption
Competitive advantage
  • 5 x faster, more cost effective & 7.5x less carbon  than conventional street works
  • Open access and non-competing
Differentiated routing
  • Typically the deepest utility
  • nuron environmental monitoring capability built in

Benefits of a sewer nervous system

Flow monitoring and system maintenance

  • Root cause of blockages and infiltration (including clean water leakage) detected in real-time to within metres
  • Proactive operation including targeted cleaning and maintenance 
  • Facilitation of active control which is at least 10x more cost effective and sustainable than traditional grey solutions​

Integrity and security

  • Realtime alerts on street work and sewer collapse or damage​
  • Detection of unauthorised access or material dumping
  • Detect illegal connections or mis-connections

Improved customer engagement

  • Improved reputation by improving service and reducing pollution​
  • Improved engagement & behaviour through data and information

Digitisation

  • State of the art asset data collected during deployment
  • Real-time capacity management and asset data enables data led decisions on asset renewal and capex targeting​
  • Secure & unlimited fibre network is future proof to increased demand of data for IOT, 5G and intelligent networks

Fibre deployment

  • Faster time to market & non-competing open access infrastructure
  • 5x more cost effective than new build & reduces carbon by 7.5x ​
  • Sewers are a safe and secure environment to deploy fibre networks
  • Minimal disruption and differentiated routing

Sustainability

An intelligent sewer network brings asset owners closer to achieving multiple sustainability goals through unlocking the full circular economy potential in water, protecting our waterways and biodiversity and reducing carbon emissions.

We are commited and proud to be using our technology and expertise to help the world work towards 8 of the 17 United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

UN sustainable development logo

Have any questions about our infratech solutions?

Get in touch