Library image – Road closure
Southern Water is adding AI technology to its underground network in an effort to cut storm overflows in Whitstable.
The technology will harness the power of artificial intelligence in responding to rising levels of storm water in the sewers in real time, allowing pipes to double up as extra storage capacity.
Southern Water is also redesigning other parts of the sewer network in the town, including adding new manholes and pipework, and upgrading monitoring systems with radar technology.
The work is focused in the Diamond Road and Tankerton Circus areas of Whitstable, where road closures are likely to last for at least ten weeks and is part of Southern Water’s pathfinder projects workstream, which looks at nature-based and engineering solutions to slow-the-flow of water entering the network to reduce storm overflows.