Patchflow-Robotics for In-Pipe Leak Repair

The frequency of droughts has increased by nearly a third globally since 2000. A UN report states that 75% of the world could face drought by 2050, and 5.7 billion people could live in areas with water shortages for a month or more every year. Water scarcity due to climate change alone will necessitate a reduction in leakage.

London was chosen as the location of focus for this project, as it has one of the earliest piped water distribution systems in the world. With more than half of pipes in London over 100 years old and made of corrosion-prone cast iron. This makes London an ideal candidate for the proposed system as it represents a well-developed city where the water leak issues are already the most advanced.

The majority of R&D occurring within the UK’s potable water industry revolves around the detection and location of leaks even though this only accounts for 20 percent of the repair process’s cost. Most of this cost in repair is associated with the shutting down of busy travel routes. The product's USP is its non-disruptive nature, meaning that the water companies can negate the need to pay expensive council charges associated with closing roads.

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