AI Technology Prevents Flooding in West Sussex by Detecting Sewer Blockages Early
- tech360.tv
- Jul 4, 2025
- 1 min read
Artificial intelligence is helping prevent flooding in West Sussex by detecting sewer blockages before they cause damage, according to Southern Water.
On June 16, digital sensors in a sewer at East Lavington near Petworth identified a fatberg forming. The blockage was cleared before wastewater could flood nearby homes and gardens.
The AI system learns the normal behaviour of sewers, distinguishing between daily flow patterns, rainfall, and signs of a developing blockage.
Daniel McElhinney, proactive operations control manager at Southern Water, said the technology is identifying hundreds of potential blockages before they become serious.
Blocked sewers are the leading cause of pollution incidents, but Southern Water reports that AI has reduced internal flooding by 40% and external flooding by 15%.
The company operates about 32,000 sewer level monitors that track flow and detect anomalies that may signal a leak or obstruction.
McElhinney noted that most suburban sewers are only as wide as an orange or tennis ball, making them vulnerable to blockages from cooking fat and non-flushable items like sanitary products, wet wipes, and ear cleaning sticks.
AI has reduced internal flooding by 40% and external flooding by 15%
Sensors detected a fatberg in East Lavington on June 16 before flooding occurred
Southern Water uses 32,000 monitors to track sewer flow and detect issues
Source: BBC
