Yorkshire Water scales AI-driven asset monitoring

Yorkshire Water is significantly expanding its predictive condition monitoring programme as part of its AMP8 investment.

Industrial artificial intelligence (AI) specialist Samotics is set to monitor a further 1,200 wastewater sewage pumping station assets and 300 clean water smart pumping assets over the next 18 months.

The expansion is one of the largest deployments of electrical signature analysis (ESA) technology in the UK water sector.

It reflects the growing role of asset-level intelligence in helping utilities reduce pollution incidents, improve network resilience and meet stretching environmental targets in the water company’s regulatory asset management plan (AMP) for 2025-30.

SAM4 uses ESA to monitor industrial equipment by analysing current and voltage signals captured remotely from motor control cabinets, with AI classifying deviations into specific fault types. At Yorkshire Water, the technology is being applied to submerged sewage pumps, screw pumps and clean water smart pumps.

Tom Swain, head of UK & Ireland at Samotics, said: “It’s been a real privilege to work alongside Yorkshire Water for the past five years. They’ve been an outstanding partner from the very first 50-site pilot, and the trust they’ve placed in us is something we don’t take lightly.

“Reaching this point, with another 1,500 assets being added, on the back of December’s Utility Week Award for Digital Transformation, is an absolute credit to the team there and the consistent commitment they’ve shown to asset health and energy efficiency.

“For the wider industry, what this expansion shows is that ESA is becoming a proven solution in monitoring the critical, hard-to-reach assets that have historically been a blind spot. Submerged pumps, screw pumps and other rotating equipment sit at the heart of pollution risk and unplanned downtime, and being able to detect faults early changes what’s operationally possible.

Simon Herrington, engineering performance manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “Improving the health, resilience, life and efficiency of our assets is a priority for Yorkshire Water and underpins the £8.3 billion investment programme agreed with the regulator for AMP8.

“The rollout of Samotics’ condition monitoring system represents a strategic shift toward data-driven, proactive asset management that will reduce the risk of service interruptions and environmental pollution, while delivering cost savings and operational efficiencies.”