Artificial Intelligence
Client: Northern Ireland Water Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Contract
Value: £75k
In 2021, Northern Ireland Water launched an initiative to explore innovative technologies for improving efficiencies in water and wastewater treatment. At our Innovation Hub at Kinnegar Wastewater Treatment Works, which we operated from 1999 to 2024, our team developed a ground breaking artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to optimise plant operations and reduce operating costs.
By integrating advanced machine learning into wastewater treatment processes, we enhanced process robustness, reduced the plant’s carbon footprint, and provided operators with an intuitive interface powered by AI. This technology enabled Kinnegar WwTW to operate proactively, predicting incoming flows and dynamically adjusting plant operations—turning systems on or off, or scaling processes up or down, in response to real-time demand.
Kinnegar WwTW, one of NI Water’s largest facilities, serves a population equivalent of 110,000. Through our efforts in monitoring, process optimisation, and AI-driven innovations, the plant became one of the most efficient wastewater treatment works in Northern Ireland, exemplifying the potential of technology to drive sustainability and operational excellence.