Predictive condition monitoring is becoming a longer-term part of asset management at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water following a new three-year agreement with industrial AI specialist Samotics.
The agreement will continue monitoring critical wastewater assets across the utility’s estate until 2029.
The aim is to identify developing equipment problems earlier, giving operational teams more time to intervene before faults result in pollution incidents or unplanned downtime.
Predictive condition monitoring moves to longer-term footing
Samotics’ SAM4 technology has been monitoring selected Welsh Water wastewater assets since 2022.
The new agreement places that work on a longer-term footing as the utility expands its use of condition-based maintenance.
The arrangement also allows monitoring to be extended to additional assets over the next three years.
For Welsh Water, the approach supports a wider shift from reactive maintenance towards earlier, evidence-led intervention.
Electrical signals reveal developing equipment faults
SAM4 uses electrical signature analysis to monitor pumps, motors and other driven equipment remotely from the motor control cabinet.
Current and voltage signals are analysed to identify changes associated with developing mechanical and electrical faults.
This means sensors do not need to be installed directly on submerged or difficult-to-access equipment.
That is particularly relevant for wastewater assets where physical access can be difficult, costly or disruptive.
Earlier warnings can reduce pollution risk
Many wastewater pumping assets operate continuously in locations that are difficult to inspect regularly.
A developing blockage, mechanical defect or electrical fault can therefore escalate before maintenance teams become aware of it.
Continuous remote monitoring gives operators additional visibility between scheduled inspections.
Samotics says the system combines automated analysis with review by its analysts to provide teams with information they can use when planning maintenance.
Tom Swain, Head of UK & Ireland at Samotics, said Welsh Water has increasingly focused on identifying problems before they become incidents.
“They have consistently looked to get ahead of problems rather than wait for them to surface, and that is exactly the mindset that makes predictive monitoring work.”
Monitoring hard-to-reach wastewater assets
Submerged pumps and other wastewater equipment can be particularly challenging to monitor using conventional sensor-based approaches.
SAM4 instead measures electrical signals at the control cabinet, allowing equipment condition to be assessed remotely.
Swain said many of the assets monitored for Welsh Water sit at the centre of potential pollution risk.
“Many of the wastewater assets we monitor for Welsh Water are submerged or hard to access. It is the kind of critical equipment that is genuinely challenging to keep eyes on, yet which sits at the heart of pollution risk.”
He added that providing earlier information gives maintenance teams more confidence when deciding when intervention is required.
Water utilities increase use of predictive maintenance
The Welsh Water agreement reflects wider adoption of predictive maintenance across the UK water industry.
H2O Global News recently reported that Anglian Water extended its Samotics condition monitoring framework across more than 250 clean water assets.
Southern Water has also signed a long-term SAM4 monitoring agreement covering critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure.
These programmes form part of a broader move towards data-led asset management as utilities seek to improve reliability and reduce environmental risk.
From reactive maintenance to earlier intervention
Predictive maintenance allows utilities to base intervention decisions on developing asset condition rather than waiting for equipment failure.
This can give engineering teams more time to plan repairs, organise site access and prioritise resources.
For wastewater operators, earlier intervention can also help reduce the risk that equipment failures contribute to spills or other environmental incidents.
Welsh Water’s latest agreement will run until 2029 and includes scope for further expansion of monitoring across its wastewater asset base.
The programme strengthens the role of predictive condition monitoring in the utility’s long-term approach to wastewater asset resilience.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has signed a three-year agreement with Samotics for ongoing predictive monitoring of critical wastewater assets. The agreement runs until 2029.
SAM4 uses electrical signature analysis to measure current and voltage signals from equipment at the motor control cabinet. These signals can reveal developing mechanical and electrical faults.
Many wastewater pumps are submerged or difficult to access. Remote monitoring can provide earlier warning of developing faults without requiring sensors to be installed directly on the equipment.
Earlier identification of developing faults gives maintenance teams more time to intervene before equipment fails, helping reduce the risk of incidents that could affect wastewater operations or the environment.
