The River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) is funding the development of an innovative remote gully monitoring project aimed at transforming the way local drainage networks are monitored and managed.
This £60,000 initiative, which will be used by Telford & Wrekin Council and Warwickshire County Council as members of the River Severn Partnership, uses advanced wireless technology to enhance flood risk management and improve operational efficiency.
Key Features of the Project:
- Real-Time Monitoring: Deployment of 100 advanced radar gully sensors .
- Integration with Existing Systems: Seamless integration with local work ticketing systems enabling automated notifications to drain clearance teams.
- Enhanced Efficiency: Reduction in unnecessary manual surveys, allowing teams to focus on high-risk areas and improve response times.
- Collaboration and Innovation: Partnership with North, a leading IoT solutions provider, who have developed a new system employing both sound and radio waves to differentiate between silt and water levels.
Matt Smith, programme manager for the RSPAWIR, said: “The remote gully monitoring project will prove the extent to which wireless technology can help address the increasing challenge of manually surveying the hundreds of thousands of gullies across our region and responding to blockages.
“By installing wireless sensors and LoRaWAN gateways to collate the information from those sensors, the project will provide real-time data on silt and water levels within the gullies. This data will be integrated with the respective highways ticketing systems, enabling automatic notifications to the Flood Risk Management Teams when a drain requires cleaning.”
It is anticipated the project will improve flood management systems by providing real-time data to enhance the ability to prevent localised flash flooding; reduce the number of manual surveys that are required and offer the potential for wider adoption across other regions, contributing to the overall resilience of local infrastructure.
John Parminter, head of networks and communications at Warwickshire County Council, added: "This project represents a significant step forward in our efforts to leverage technology for better public service delivery. The integration of advanced wireless solutions will not only improve our flood risk management but also set a precedent for future initiatives utilising advanced wireless technologies."
Councillor Richard Overton, Telford & Wrekin deputy leader and cabinet member for highways, housing and enforcement, said: “This technology is a significant step forward that will support residents to build long-term resilience while helping the council to better respond to flooding events both in planning and recovery.
“This is one project that demonstrates how Telford & Wrekin Council continues to support residents impacted by surface water flooding and complements the council’s own £3.5 million investment over the next four years into the increasingly complex issue of surface flooding.”