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.
The future needs to be digital, it is the only sustainable option
The foundations of smart water and hence intelligent sewers are:
- Assets
- Sensing & control
- Collection & Communication
- 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.
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
point sensor
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.
 |
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
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.
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.
