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United Utilities rolls out new AI tool to tackle storm overflows

16 Jul 2025

United Utilities is rolling out new AI technology to better understand the performance of its storm overflows.

The water and wastewater company is committed to reducing storm overflows by 60% by 2030 and is utilising AI to facilitate smarter, faster decision-making along the way.

For many years, the company has been using Dynamic Network Management (DNM), a powerful system that uses AI and machine learning to process data to help identify issues such as blockages and the rise of water in the sewer networks, so proactive action can be taken before they impact customers or the environment.

Building on its success, United Utilities is now introducing the Overflow Investigation Tool, a data-driven, automated system to help manage all overflows, giving its teams an even clearer picture of what’s happening before, during, and after any overflow event.

The new tool builds upon the existing wastewater system intelligence developed through DNM and is designed to help identify causes of spills, find opportunities to reduce them, and ensure the right actions occur to fix problems.

The Overflow Investigation Tool has been developed by the company’s new Operational Intelligence Team in wastewater. The team is using data and intelligence to drive efficient, proactive management of our wastewater systems.

Sam Sloan, Head of Operational Intelligence, said: “This new AI-powered approach is a major step forward in protecting our environment and improving the services we provide.

“It’s all about taking a systems approach to get to the root cause quickly, using advanced business logic based on real time data, rainfall information, hydraulic modelling, and operational histories to trigger investigations and improve asset performance.

“By taking this approach, we’re not only improving our operations but also safeguarding the environment. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s dedication and innovation. Their hard work is what’s driving this transformation, and together, we’re just getting started."