ENTER THE METASPHERE

Once highly vulnerable to flooding, the historic market town of Mansfield, England, is being transformed by the UK’s largest sustainable drainage system (SuDS) project. This ambitious initiative is powered by Metasphere, a Grundfos company, and its intelligent monitoring solutions – which provide the real-time insights crucial for unlocking the potential of large-scale nature-based solutions (NbS). The project, led by Severn Trent Water in collaboration with the University of Sheffield and the University of Liverpool, showcases how these solutions are optimising network performance, enhancing local flood resilience, and promoting sustainable water management. Sowing the seeds of sustainability   In 2022, one of the UK’s largest water companies, Severn Trent Water, embarked on a multi-million pound project in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, to implement a SuDS scheme aimed at mitigating flood risk and promoting sustainable water management within an urban environment. Metasphere’s Sense Level technology, a radar-based level sensor, was selected to monitor water levels within key components of the Mansfield SuDS scheme including downpipe planters, raingardens, bioswales, detention basins and specific points within the sewer network, demonstrating its significant versatility. These compact, battery-powered sensors collect data continuously, transmitting it via a mobile data network to a cloud-based platform. This provides Severn Trent Water and their academic partners with a clear and accessible overview of water levels. The real-time water level data captured by Metasphere’s monitoring solutions enables accurate calculation of drainage volumes and supports sophisticated hydrological analysis and modelling, providing a deeper understanding of the system’s behaviour under varying conditions – which is vital for effective management. Implementation and timeline Severn Trent Water identified Mansfield as being particularly vulnerable to the increasing threat of extreme rainfall events. In response, they initiated the ambitious £76 million Mansfield Sustainable Flood Resilience project, in partnership with key partners including the University of Sheffield and the University of Liverpool, design consultants Arup and AECOM, and contractors Galliford Try and Kier. This significant undertaking focuses on retrofitting the urban landscape to provide substantial additional storage capacity for surface water and is designed to effectively meet the anticipated future needs of the catchment. Having commenced in spring 2022, once completed in , the scheme will have capacity to store over 58 million litres of surface water. This substantial increase in storage is projected to deliver a significant reduction in flood risk for approximately 90,000 residents within Mansfield’s 109,000 population. “The Mansfield SuDS project is a landmark initiative for Severn Trent, setting a new benchmark for how we integrate nature-based solutions into urban water management,” says Angus Smith, Severn Trent’s lead project manager on the Mansfield Sustainable Flooding Resilience Scheme. “Metasphere’s intelligent monitoring technology has been absolutely critical to this, offering a clear understanding of how effectively rainwater runoff is being managed in real-time. Their Sense Level sensors provide the real-time, granular data we need to truly understand the performance of these complex systems.” Mansfield SuDS Project fact box: Scale: Approximately 20,000 individual blue-green infrastructure features Coverage: Over 15 hectares of the catchment area Biodiversity: Supporting the development of five

Rapidly increasing uptake of remote sensor technology is revolutionising how sewer networks are monitored and managed across the world- and has prompted a firmware update from technology company Metasphere, writes Ryan Pearson, head of strategy. Metasphere was a pioneer in this field, launching its first remote sensor solution for sewer networks in 2021. This innovative approach is already providing substantial benefits to progressive water companies globally, enabling them to proactively manage their infrastructure and enhance environmental protection. Reflecting its ongoing commitment to innovation, Metasphere has just announced a major firmware update for its Sense Level sewer level monitors. This update reinforces the company’s dedication to supporting the water sector in achieving critical environmental targets, such as reducing storm overflow spills. Proactive management Remote sewer network monitoring offers a multitude of advantages, including the proactive identification of blockages, prevention of overflows, reduced manual inspections and associated costs, improved employee safety, and real-time data insights for superior network management and regulatory compliance. However, its implementation presents several key challenges. The inherent variability of sewer environments, encompassing diverse pipe and chamber sizes, materials, and flow conditions, complicates standardized sensor deployment. Additionally, harsh conditions and seasonal weather variations can significantly impact device effectiveness and battery life. “Another improvement is optimising the battery life,” explains John Alimi, devices product manager at Metasphere. “This means the devices can last longer in the field, resulting in fewer maintenance visits. Overall, our customers achieve significant operational efficiency gains from this combination of features and improvements.” Just as with mobile phones, connectivity can be unreliable above ground, let alone in hard-to-reach underground locations. This necessitates resilient communication solutions. “One of the biggest challenges in precision sewer level monitoring is reliable connectivity,” says Alimi. “You can deploy the most advanced sensing technologies, such as radar and ultrasonic, but without connection, the system becomes very ineffective.“If the system isn’t connected, you can’t monitor conditions in real-time, respond to issues, or make informed decisions. With dynamic network switching, we’re able to optimise for better connection during installation. This ensures that the connectivity rate goes up, giving more reliable visibility across the network – essentially avoiding costly fines by identifying blockages and protecting the environment from spills.” Finally, cost-effectiveness remains a concern, requiring a careful balance between the benefits of remote monitoring and the investment in equipment, installation, and maintenance. John Alimi, Product Manager for Devices, Metasphere Optimised operations Remote network monitoring has myriad advantages when optimised for these challenges. With the right sensors in place, water companies benefit from optimised resource allocation, reduced operational costs associated with reactive repairs, and improved network efficiency. Their customers experience fewer disruptions due to flooding and sewer backups, leading to increased satisfaction and peace of mind. Importantly, the environment reaps the rewards through a decrease in pollution incidents – safeguarding water quality and protecting ecosystems. Metasphere pioneered remote sensor solutions for sewer networks in 2021, and the company currently has over 60,000 Sense Level sewer level monitors installed across Wessex Water, Southern Water, Thames Water, Severn