Thames Water and Origin Tech announce new partnership

North East-based Origin Tech, an AI and satellite technology specialist, has secured a 13-month contract with Thames Water to help detect and reduce water loss across its network.

The Origin Orbit system uses satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to pinpoint underground leaks within a 30-metre radius, offering a faster and more accurate alternative to traditional detection methods.

Shane Gloster, head of leakage at Thames Water, said: “A huge proportion of our leaks are never seen by customers, as they are underground and hard to find.

“To repair these as quickly as we can, it is vital that we use the latest innovative technology available.

“Partnering with Origin Tech, deploying their satellite data to detect leaks gives us a faster and more accurate indication of where the network has issues, enabling us to work more efficiently in our pursuit of bringing down water loss.”

The partnership, which began in March, builds on a successful 18-week trial that identified more than 800 leaks, saving an estimated 8.7 million litres of water per day.

Thames Water is now the first water company to fully integrate Origin Orbit technology into business-as-usual leakage operations.

Founded in 2019, Origin Tech currently works with 12 UK water companies, helping to prevent more than three billion litres of water leakage across the country.

John Marsden, co-founder of Origin Tech, said: “With one-fifth of all water in the UK being lost through leakage every year, the need for innovative solutions is evident.”