SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Northumbrian Water has launched a three-year partnership with Aiimi focused on AI and data work linked to the utility’s AMP8 programme.

The agreement expands a relationship built over several years and will centre on bespoke tools and data products for water and wastewater operations. Delivered through an Insights and Analytics framework, the work is intended to support operational improvements, compliance and environmental goals.

Northumbrian Water serves 4.7 million customers and is entering a new investment period as water companies face scrutiny over pollution, storm overflows and service resilience. Against that backdrop, the programme will explore how AI and machine learning can be applied to practical operational issues across the network.

Projects under consideration include tools to help maintain water quality compliance, make better use of live water quality data and improve maintenance scheduling. The partnership will also cover data governance to support wider AI use across the organisation.

A recent data-focused workshop brought together data scientists from Aiimi, Northumbrian Water and other partners to analyse storm overflow data. The exercise examined how machine learning could improve reporting and help prioritise investment across those assets.

The partnership builds on earlier work between the two organisations, including support for a refreshed Digital and Data Strategy at Northumbrian Water. That five-year strategy sets out how the utility plans to use digital systems, data assets and AI to improve services and reduce environmental impact during AMP8, which runs from April 2025 to March 2030.

The programme also coincides with the arrival of Martin Jackson as chief information officer at Northumbrian Water. He was appointed to lead the next phase of the company’s digital transformation, with data and analytics playing a bigger role in managing infrastructure and customer service.

For Aiimi, the agreement strengthens its position in the UK water sector. It has worked with Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water, while its technology and services have also been used by Severn Trent, United Utilities and Ofwat. The company specialises in AI, data analysis and information governance.

The announcement comes as utilities face pressure to adapt to more volatile weather patterns and tighter environmental expectations. Water companies are also looking for ways to target AMP8 investment more effectively, particularly in areas such as overflow management, compliance and network resilience.

Steve Salvin set out Aiimi’s view of the challenge facing the sector.

“Water companies are being asked to do more with less amidst increased service demand and grave climate change. These challenges must be met with innovative, data-driven digital solutions that can truly unlock the power of AI. We’ve already laid the groundwork for this in our Digital and Data Strategy work with Northumbrian Water. Now, it’s time to get to work on bringing the strategy to life though bespoke products developed in collaboration with the water company. This new partnership puts Northumbrian Water at the forefront of the sector’s digital, data and AI transformation, as well as cementing Aiimi’s reputation as the go-to partner for innovative, forward-thinking water companies,” said Steve Salvin, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Aiimi.

The partnership forms part of Northumbrian Water’s broader investment programme across infrastructure and services. The utility sees digital systems, data use and AI as central to delivering that work more effectively during the current regulatory cycle.

“Northumbrian Water are delivering an ambitious programme of investment in our infrastructure and services throughout AMP8. Our leading digital, data and AI capabilities are key in achieving this, enabling the organisation to deliver for our customers at greater speed and scale. Through this latest partnership with Aiimi, we’re putting our digital plan into action; working together to build data-driven solutions aimed at delivering more resilient and sustainable water and wastewater services,” said Martin Jackson, Chief Information Officer at Northumbrian Water.

Kacper Konstanczak, who leads intelligence and analytics at the company, said the relationship with Aiimi had already helped shape internal data functions as the utility expands its use of analytics.

“Aiimi has been a trusted Data partner to Northumbrian Water Group for over five years. Their utilities sector expertise and broad capabilities – from strategy to data and AI engineering – have been key to supporting our innovation agenda and instrumental in helping us evolve our operating model to support the rapid growth of our Intelligence & Analytics function. As organisations seek to leverage the true power of their data and unlock the possibilities of AI, we’re pleased to be setting an industry standard on how this can be done safely, effectively and impactfully,” said Konstanczak.