Anglian Water’s Innovation Hub has released a positive review of its successful trial of smart water butts, conducted in partnership with SDS over a number of years in Newmarket. The trial took place on a long-established residential street as part of the “Smarter Drop Street” project, aimed at exploring how smart water butts can help reduce potable water consumption whilst at the same time reduce the risk of flooding.
The report highlighted strong community engagement, with 22% of properties on the street signing up for the trial. The smart water butts proved their capability by accurately predicting how much capacity was needed before rain events. By using weather forecasts, the roof area of each property and the water levels in the tanks, the system released stored water into the sewer network at critical times to help prevent flooding.
The technology’s effectiveness was emphasised, with the report noting that smart water butts were found to be 50 times more efficient at managing stormwater than traditional models. As this technology continues to develop, it is seen as a scalable and cost-effective solution for managing rainwater in urban areas.
Stephen Field, Project Delivery Manager at Anglian Water, said: “We’re always on the lookout for innovative ideas and solutions to tackle issues such as flooding, managing surface water and reducing customers’ water usage. The Smarter Drop Street project, run within the Anglian Water Shop Window, trialled the retrofitting of smart water butts in an urban street to control the flow of rainwater entering the combined sewer system. The lessons we’ve learnt from this and other trials will help shape our future flood prevention schemes.”
SDS looks forward to continuing its support of Anglian Water, as the company seeks to implement innovative solutions like the SDS Intellistorm®-equipped smart water butts, addressing the increasing challenges of water scarcity and surface water flooding.
