No dig leak repair – From concept to reality is a £6m project funded by the Ofwat Water Breakthrough Challenge.
Leakage of drinking water from buried networks is increasingly unacceptable, but replacing water mains is costly and protracted. Repairing hidden leaks must therefore be increased sustainably and this project will develop technology to repair leaks from within live water mains, without disruptive excavations and with minimal interruptions to water supplies.
Project partners
- Water companies: Thames Water (lead), Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, South East Water, Southern Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water Limited, Uisce Éireann, Yorkshire Water
- Industry partners: Synthotech Ltd, Transport for London
- Academic Partner: University of Sheffield
Project update (January 2025)
Since the announcement, Thames Water started to work on the Pre-Kick Off stage of the project, presenting at the No-Dig Reading Roadshow and signing the Winners Agreement. The kick-off meeting was held on 16th October 2024. After kick-off a detailed project plan is being created and Thames Water internal governance processes are being implemented.
Further information
For more information on No Dig Leak Repair, take a look at the following resources:
See the Thames Water website for the most up-to-date information and resources on the project.
