Northumbrian Water Advances Environmental Understanding

Background

Northumbrian Water is recognised as one of the UK’s leading utilities when it comes to environmental stewardship. As part of its long-term commitment to improving the natural environment, the organisation has allocated £1.7 billion over five years to enhance the health and resilience of lakes, rivers, and coastal waters.

Challenge

Northumbrian Water set out to harness data in new and innovative ways to advance their environmental ambitions. They sought to strengthen how they monitor watercourses, deepen ecological insight, and make more informed investment decisions. Achieving this required them to develop a modern, resilient data approach that could support both immediate operational needs and their long-term commitment to environmental stewardship.

Solution

Makutu, part of ANS, brought together a multiskilled team to help Northumbrian Water make better use of its environmental data. The team combined practical data science with largescale data collection, using UAVs (Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles) to capture clear and reliable information across wide areas. This approach gave Northumbrian Water a more complete and accurate picture of its assets and water environments, making it easier for teams across the organisation to work with data in a meaningful and accessible way.

Outcome

The partnership has helped Northumbrian Water strengthen the role of data and innovation throughout its environmental work. The improved insight now supports more confident decision making, better day-to-day management of assets, and greater understanding of environmental conditions. It also helps the organisation meet regulatory expectations, engage the public more openly about local water environments, and continue to lead the industry in responsible and forward-thinking environmental practice.