Amey turns to augmented reality in fight against £90m ‘unflushables’ issue

Leading public services provider, Amey, will be turning to a new augmented reality app to help fight ‘unflushables’. The app uses technology commonly used in video games, to show householders right before their eyes how flushing the wrong items would block their drains and sewers.

Amey has partnered with ClicksandLinks, a specialist supplier in the augmented reality field, to develop the app, which will be piloted across the Severn Trent contract. A contract which serves 4 million properties and 8 million customers across the Severn Trent area.

The app allows sewer operatives to ‘overlay’ a typical sewer network on a customer’s property or surrounding area on their Android mobile phone. The app then runs animations which mock-up how ‘unflushable blockages’ are formed – in real time.

Currently, blockages are the most frequent waste issue reported to all water companies, with around 70% of sewer blockages on the network caused by unflushables, such as fats, oils, grease, wet wipes etc.

Previously, operational teams have issued print-based guidance informing customers of what should, or should not, be put down their drains. However, research shows that 25% of ‘unflushable blockages’ will happen again within 12 months of the customer being notified, suggesting this method of communication may not be effective.

Amey is hoping that the app will be an effective way to increase customer understanding about the impact unflushables have on the water network, and help to prevent future blockages. Speaking about the app, Ben Hawkins from Amey’s innovation team, said: “The UK water industry spends about £90m a year clearing sewer blockages. Many of these are caused by putting unflushables down the drain. This app is the first of its kind and demonstrates Amey’s commitment to using new technology, in increasingly tech-reliant times, to help our customers visualise and solve these issues.”

From the next Asset Management Period (2020-2025), the penalties for poor blockage reduction performance will increase for water companies. Amey aims to assist clients with educating their customer base, to tackle the huge task of blockage reduction.

The app will be launched in 2020.