AI tool tested in Exeter to help find and remove thousands of lead pipes

South West Water is working with the University of Exeter to develop a new way of finding and removing lead pipes from its network. 

The project, delivered through the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW), is part of the company's plan to remove between 20,000 and 40,000 lead pipes over the next five years.

The end goal is to have a completely lead-free network by 2050. 

Currently, South West Water uses a model that predicts where lead pipes might be, but gaps in the data make it difficult to be certain.

The new system, co-designed with Exeter academics, uses machine learning to combine existing records with new information collected in the field.

This “smarter” model will improve as more data is gathered, helping teams prioritise work, reduce disruption for customers, and use resources more effectively.

Phase one is already underway in Exeter and Plymouth, where the model is being tested against real-world findings.

Early results suggest it is successfully pinpointing the areas most likely to contain lead. The next stage will expand the project across the wider Pennon Group, which also includes Bristol Water and SES Water.

Although lead pipes are no longer installed, some older properties are still connected by them.

While the water supply is safe and regularly tested, chemicals such as orthophosphate are added to stop lead from dissolving into drinking water.

Removing the pipes altogether would improve water quality, cut costs, and lower the environmental impact of treatment.

Jason Harvey, from South West Water, said the aim is to make the process “more accurate and efficient for the benefit of our customers.”

Professor Raziyeh Farmani, from the University of Exeter, added that the collaboration shows how data-driven insights can protect public health while supporting smarter infrastructure decisions.