This is probably one of the most engaged trials we’ve delivered at Yorkshire Water. The concept is really simple, the analysts, the team leaders, engineers, the inspectors and are all really on board with the solution.

The response in the organisation has been really positive. While we are still at the start of the journey, we’re already starting to use it (Paradigm) as part of our weekly and monthly tactical escalation calls.

The Paradigm model and workstreams helped us in how best to target this DMA and, as a result, we highlighted issues with our current records, helping us find potentially 60.5m3 per day.

I think the way it’s been done is really good. There’s a clear aim, a clear vision and the way the club project has been split out into the technical aspect and the strategic aspect has been really good.

Paradigm identified a seasonal variation in this DMA with the early summer demand increase as well as Ramadan impact. The three allotments highlighted were previously unidentified and after investigation, could well be causing a lot of the seasonal variation. Several private leaks were also located on the back of the analysis. This DMA has had a stubborn night flow for a long time and this work has helped to suggest why and find some of the unaccounted-for water here.

SME Water joined our innovation accelerator programme (our “Innovation Lab”) in 2020-21 with the idea of using flow data from our network meters to identify patterns and discern whether the flow is consumption/usage or leakage/losses. Through the work we found the approach (now known as “Paradigm”) could provide great insight, helping us to better understand demand patterns and target our leakage reduction activities more effectively. We continue to work with SME Water and the wider industry in our efforts to achieve a 15% reduction in leakage by 2025 and halve leakage levels by 2050. Innovations, like Paradigm, are critical enablers for achieving these commitments.