Yorkshire Water to create 300 new jobs as part of long-term investment plan

Yorkshire Water has announced plans to create 300 new jobs as part of a multi-million pound package to become an industry leader in the water sector.

The recruitment drive will comprise openings for 50 leakage inspectors, engineers, sewer technicians and data scientists and analysts at Yorkshire Water and its contract partners.

The company has set targets to reduce water leaks, sewage pollution incidents and slash the average time customers lose their water supply. Sewage escapes causing pollution are to fall by 40%, incidents resulting in internal sewer flooding are to be reduced by 70% and the average interruption to water supply will fall by two thirds.

These improvements are to be delivered before the start of the next five-year investment period in 2020.

In addition to the recruitment drive, Yorkshire Water is also planning to invest in new technology to improve the management of both its sewer and water networks.

Around 15,000 ‘acoustic ears’ will be installed at different locations in its water network, helping to listen to the flow of water and detect leaks faster within just three hours rather than the current average of three days.

A further 8,000 devices will be installed on the sewer network, providing information on the condition of the pipes and helping to prevent pollution incidents.

Electro-magnetic valves in water pipes that can be remotely controlled will also make it easier to cope with spikes in water demand without affecting water pressure. The use of drones and satellite imaging from space will improve the detection of underground leaks.

These initiatives will be linked together by a data-led “internet of things” approach. Data generated by the remote telemetry will be analysed by a new team of data scientists.

Engineers in the company’s Bradford control room, using data analytics, will be able to despatch response teams to either bursts or equipment failures which might cause pollution. Intelligence on the condition of assets will also be generated, enabling the company to adopt a “predict and prevent” approach to maintenance of its infrastructure.

Yorkshire Water is also considering adopting an “open data” approach, allowing the region’s community of independent data scientists secure access to its data streams. This will enable the company to work closely with the Yorkshire community of digital developers to help find new and innovative solutions to pollution and leakage problems.

Pamela Doherty, director of service delivery at Yorkshire Water, said: “We’ve spent a lot of time talking to our customers and now really understand their diverse needs and how water impacts on their lives.

“What they want from us is simple and clear. They want us to lose less water in leaks, minimise interruptions to their supply and reduce sewage escapes from our system. Above all, they don’t like the idea that a Yorkshire company isn’t currently one of the best in its sector.

“Based on this feedback, we’ve taken the decision to make a substantial investment in new staff, new skills and new technology.

“Over the next two years, this investment and our determination to deliver will put us alongside the best in the industry. Our plans combine intensive use of traditional engineering skills with some innovative applications of new data led techniques.”

The investment plan by Yorkshire Water is linked to a new strategy set to be published in January. At the centre of the strategy will be a renewed focus on core water and waste water services.

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