In the second of a series of Expert Focus articles for WaterBriefing, Richard Broome, Managing Director at LSBUD, the UK’s leading online safe digging resource, explores the contradictory approach to safety in the water industry, highlighting the stark contrast between the protection of workers and the under-protection of assets.

Richard Broome: There is no doubt that the water industry is committed to the safety of its workers. Stringent measures, protocols, and policies are in place to ensure that on-site teams are safeguarded against risks when working on critical infrastructure projects.

However, the industry is also facing a safety epidemic with conflicted best practices. When it comes to protecting their own vast network of underground infrastructure, water companies fall short. This discrepancy raises an important question – why do companies prioritise the safety of their people but not their assets, especially when the consequences of damage can be so severe?

A safety disconnect

There is a disconnect happening 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, despite having over 400,000 kilometres of underground pipes across the UK, they remain reluctant to protect their own infrastructure through the collaborative sharing of asset information. Only 20 percent of water companies are registered to LSBUD’s central portal, leaving up to 350,000 kilometres of water pipelines across the UK unprotected. This hesitation creates a confusing contradiction: workers are being safeguarded, but the very infrastructure they are working on remains vulnerable.

Those that have registered their assets include Portsmouth Water, South Staffs Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Northumbrian Water, Essex and Suffolk 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, proving that sharing data works.

One of the most significant consequences of this gap in asset protection is the risk posed by third-party strikes. Damage to water pipelines can cause severe disruptions to water services, crippling businesses, leaving homes without clean running water, and even impact critical services like hospitals. Third-party damage can also inflict severe financial, reputational, and environmental consequences. For example, damaged pipes can allow contaminants into the water supply, creating potential health risks for entire communities.

Therefore, it comes as a surprise that there are still huge swathes of the UK’s water pipeline network that are poorly protected from potential third-party strikes. So, what are the reasons why water companies prioritise protecting their workers, but not their assets?

1. Cultural disconnect

One reason for this discrepancy may be rooted in the industry's culture. Water pipelines are typically located deeper underground than other utilities. A poorly prepared or executed excavation is more likely to strike broadband, gas, or electricity assets first. However, as a result, as they are less likely to be the first asset hit during an excavation, it creates a false sense of security for water companies. This belief, though understandable, ignores the problem.

2. Data security

Further complicating the issue is the water industry’s concern over data security, with some companies having reservations surrounding data access and privacy. They fear that sharing their underground asset data could expose vulnerabilities or pose privacy risks. However, modern safe digging portals ensure that asset owners retain full control over who can access their data, addressing these concerns while still protecting critical infrastructure.

3. Commercial interests

Water companies are often commercially driven when it comes to their asset plans, with established commercial arms that sell this data alongside other land and property searches. While this practice is perfectly legitimate, it can inadvertently discourage third-parties from accessing this information, increasing risk to those very assets, and of course those doing the digging. Allowing an asset owner to choose who to charge, separating those who are looking to work safely from those who wish to sell the plans on as part of a wider service, is fundamental to a balanced approach.

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

The need for collaboration

Safe digging works best when you have companies and workers being transparent, collaborative, and following best practice. That means having as many asset owners as possible sharing their unique network information, and all workers taking on digging projects performing a search for underground pipes and cables. This, in effect, acts like a safe digging ‘virtuous circle’, that gets stronger with collaboration, participation and data sharing.

The concept of a safe digging virtuous circle is simple – the more asset owners that share their data with us, the more comprehensive our system becomes. This allows us at LSBUD to generate an increasingly clear picture of what underground infrastructure lies across the length and breadth of the country. So, when a User places a search on our portal, we are able to offer instant, vital asset information that protects both the networks and the people doing the digging, whilst maintaining the security of said asset information.

So, by protecting utility assets across the UK, water companies not currently registered to a central portal can see the success of their competitors and peers, as well as the impact it has on a business’ bottom line, and be more willing to share their information. From here the process starts again, creating a ‘virtuous circle’ of safety best practice.

Perhaps the easiest way to highlight best practice is to pick a particular example.

An important part of Portsmouth Water’s day-to-day operations includes protecting its pipelines from accidental damage. Before working with LSBUD, the team had only been able to respond to asset location enquiries manually, which took a lot of time and resources. Portsmouth Water wanted to upgrade to an online solution that would provide third parties with a rapid, hassle-free way of getting the information they needed.

Since implementing the LSBUD service in April 2020, Portsmouth Water has seen the visibility of its network improve 12-fold. Within a year of implementation, Portsmouth Water had responded to over 30,000 third party asset mapping requests. These came from a range of sources, including fellow utility companies, developers and local authorities. Pre-LSBUD, Portsmouth Water averaged just 2,500 search enquires per annum.

In addition to improved search numbers, Portsmouth Water has been able to slash its average response time from up to ten days, to now just under one minute. The move has also helped the water company to reduce damages caused by third parties by 25%, stay at the forefront of leakage performance, and meet its PR19 requirements.

Final thoughts

Commitment to worker safety is just one priority that the water industry must consider. Whilst it is commendable how committed companies are to on-site safety, it cannot come at the expense of protecting critical infrastructure.

As the AMP8 period approaches, water companies face growing pressure to balance safety and cost. By addressing the contradictions in their approach and embracing more collaborative, transparent practices, the water sector can ensure that both people and pipelines remain protected, futureproofing the industry.

For more information, visit www.lsbud.co.uk