Next level data collection is transforming conventional pumping systems into insight-led assets, writes Andrew Welsh of Xylem UK, ahead of the Water Equipment Show 2025.
The £12 billion drive to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) by 45% in AMP8 – the 2025-30 asset management plan period – is underway.
Central to this goal are large-scale projects aimed at increasing storage capacity and modernising sewer networks. Smart pumping underpins these efforts, with some utilities also applying wider network optimisation which will be underpinned by data collection and analytics.
For water companies now exploring their pump technology options, the following developments are important to keep in mind:
Smart pump technology is advancing
Rapid development of pump technology over the past decade has given utilities the tools to build smart systems that can be controlled and monitored remotely.
Pumps with built-in intelligence and sensors are capable of automatically adjusting their own speed, can connect to central systems and cloud platforms and collect real-time data for fault diagnosis and proactive maintenance. These capabilities make the pumping process more reliable, saving energy, and reducing operating and maintenance costs.
Yorkshire Water improved pumping station performance when it partnered with Xylem on a dynamic maintenance programme.
The programme was supported by Flygt Concertor, the world’s first wastewater pumping system with integrated intelligence, which automatically adjusts its duty point to changing conditions and can reverse direction to unblock clogs
The partnership led to the following outcomes for Yorkshire Water:
- A 51% reduction in reactive pumping station visits
- Cost savings of approximately £45k per month
- An expected return-on-investment of 140%
Building on this innovation, Xylem recently introduced the Flygt 6030, offering a higher capacity than previous models – up to 150l/s – and a power rating ranging from 8.2kW up to 13.4kW, which means even greater energy savings.
Catchment-wide views are possible
With the right products in place, a pumping system can provide real-time insights into not just the individual asset, but the catchment as a whole. For example, information can be presented about weather conditions and the capacity in the wider sewer network to store, treat or divert stormwater – insights that allow companies to take preventative steps to avoid a spill.
If conditions mean a spill is unavoidable, operators, guided by data, can control where and when it occurs, to have the least impact on the environment. While such a catchment-wide approach remains an aspiration for many utilities, the growing frequency of extreme weather events will make it essential in the not-too-distant future.
The technology is already available to make real-time insights from pump stations business-as-usual by 2030. This includes digital platforms such as Xylem Vue, which integrates and standardises data not just from pumping stations, but from across the utility.
An early deployment in US city of Buffalo, New York, enabled the city to optimise its existing sewer infrastructure using predictive analytics and real-time monitoring, cutting CSO volume and drastically reducing the need for new, costly infrastructure projects.
Equipment availability is key
For water companies in AMP8, equipment availability will be key. Over the last five years, the sector has put great effort into strengthening its supply chain to ensure 100% availability of wastewater pumps.
With many thousands of pump products on the market, and demand expected to be at unprecedented levels, now is the time for companies to apply standardisation and rationalisation to streamline their procurement processes.
