In an Expert Focus article for WaterBriefing, Richard Broome, Managing Director at LSBUD, the UK’s leading online safe digging resource, discusses the contradictory state of safety within the water sector, detailing how to improve safety while balancing financial pressures.

Richard Broome: The water industry is facing a safety epidemic. Water companies are vastly conflicted when it comes to safe digging best practices.

With the AMP8 cycle set to begin, the water industry cannot afford leakages, pollution and flooding to increase because of a lack of asset information from water companies.

The scale of the challenge

Despite having over 400,000 kilometres of underground pipes running across the length and breadth of the UK, water companies have been slow to adopt comprehensive safety practices, especially when it comes to sharing utility data. But damaging even a single water pipe can have significant consequences.

Just 20 percent of water companies are registered to LSBUD’s central, collaborative portal. Those that have registered their assets include Portsmouth Water, South Staffs Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water and Cambridge Water. People looking to dig safely in their areas have instant access to gas, electricity and water plans at the same time and, as a result, damage incidents are falling.

The missing 80%, however, means that up to 350,000 kilometres of the UK’s water pipelines are currently unavailable at the point when someone taking on a digging project requests underground plans. When you consider that 90 percent of electricity networks and 100 percent of major gas DNOs are registered through the portal, you can see the stark difference in the proactive defence of networks.

The lack of collaborative data sharing from the water industry puts critical infrastructure at risk. Damaging a water pipe does not have the same immediate and obvious health and safety implications for those digging as a high-pressure chemical, gas or electricity strike does, but the aftermath can be just as costly and disruptive. Disruptions in water service can cripple businesses, leave homes without clean running water, and even impact critical services like hospitals. It has financial and reputational implications for the water companies, plus damaged pipes can create pathways for contaminants to enter the water supply, posing a serious health risk.

Contradictions in safety

There is a disconnect happening within the water industry, that needs to be addressed. The wider industry has always prioritised its own worker safety, evidenced by the high volumes of LSBUD searches attributed to the water sector. Of the 3.9 million searches that passed through the LSBUD portal in 2023, water companies accounted for 27 percent, coming second to only the telecoms industry.

Yet, we also know that water companies are reluctant to share their asset data with those doing the digging. So, companies understand the importance of underground mapping, yet there is still this major disconnect between performing searches and prioritising the protection of their own assets.

So, what’s holding the industry back from fully committing to safety?

Digging deep

It's unlikely that the first thing a spade or digger bucket will hit is the water pipe. When companies bury assets underground, it is expected that water pipelines would be found at the bottom of the trench. Due to this, a poorly prepared or executed excavation is more likely to strike broadband, gas or electricity assets first. This roulette style thinking is one of the reasons why water companies have been slower to recognise the benefits of sharing their data and proactively protecting their assets.

The temptation to cut corners

On one hand, the industry understands the criticality of safe digging. Damaged water mains can lead to service disruptions, impacting homes, businesses, and critical services. It also puts reputations on the line. Indeed, the media are quick to publish scathing articles and perform ‘deep dives’ into the water industry, creating a lack of trust with the general public.

But when faced with financial pressures, there’s always a risk that contractors may be tempted to cut corners. Those working under the AMP8 programme may find that the demands of delivering projects quickly and within budget creates a temptation to do things too quickly. Safety measures like engaging a specialist utility surveyor or insisting on hand excavation near critical infrastructure add both time and cost to projects. The pressure to complete projects quickly can also create a temptation to bypass vital safety measures – a gamble with potentially disastrous consequences.

Security concerns

Water companies also have concerns over the security of their data, with reservations surrounding data access and privacy. However, in order to protect the pipelines now, and identify trends and patterns to improve safety in the future, we need a thorough understanding of the country’s most sensitive and critical assets. The role of a safe digging portal is to connect those who need the underground information with the asset owners, whilst ensuring that the companies retain full control of their data and who can access it.

Commercial mindset

A commercially driven industry discourages people who want to search before they dig. While water companies are within their rights to sell their asset plans alongside other land and property searches, the action can increase the risk to those very assets, and of course those doing the digging. Allowing an asset owner to choose who to charge, separates those who are looking to work safely from those who wish to sell the plans on as part of a wider service.

Although less explosive than gas or electricity, there are still dangerous and costly consequences to hitting water pipes, particularly high-pressure ones. One of the UK’s biggest claims for flooding was caused by a burst 20-inch main in Tooley Street, London in 2008 - losses ran to tens of millions of pounds. There are also costs associated with repairing damaged infrastructure and mitigating environmental contamination.

The human cost of unsafe digging practices is even more severe. Accidents involving damaged utilities can lead to serious injuries or even fatalities. Communities affected by service disruptions potentially face health risks. In the worst-case scenario, environmental contamination from damaged pipes can have lasting consequences for ecosystems and public health.

So, what is needed from water companies to improve the industry?

Collaboration is key, as is open communication and transparency. From an asset owner’s perspective, sharing data protects the physical pipes by improving project planning and pre-excavation awareness. By joining a central system, asset owners benefit from the ‘safety of the herd’ effect. From a people point of view, knowing where underground pipes and cables are helps ensure that on-site delays and injuries can be avoided.

Final thoughts

The reluctance of water companies to fully embrace collaborative safety measures for their own asset networks is creating significant safety risks. And whilst the water sector is making progress, it is not happening fast enough.

However, the AMP8 programme presents a crucial opportunity for the water sector to prove that safety and financial efficiency are not mutually exclusive. Water companies and their contracting partners must strike a delicate balance between delivering projects on time and ensuring safety standards are upheld.

All eyes are on the water industry. Now is the time for water companies to fully commit to sharing their data, working collaboratively, and ensuring that safety remains the top priority.

For more information visit www.lsbud.co.uk