Thousands of hidden sewer connections have been uncovered in a major aerial mapping project aimed at improving water quality.
Yorkshire Water, in partnership with environmental survey company APEM Group, used advanced aerial imaging and artificial intelligence to map wastewater infrastructure along the East Yorkshire coast and nearby inland areas.
The project focused on the areas of Filey, Scarborough, Bridlington, Ben Rhydding, Addingham and Ilkley, offering new insights into the region’s sewer network.
Thomas Ogden, wastewater smart networks manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “This is the first time that we have carried out a mapping project on this scale to give us a better understanding of our network.
“We’ve mapped thousands of previously undetected assets across the East coast and inland bathing water sites, and found over 2,800 potential misconnections on both domestic households, our wastewater network and other pollution risks such as from agricultural runoff and septic tanks.”
The survey covered more than 80km² and identified over half a million previously unmapped points connected to the sewer network.
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This included manholes, gullies and downpipes, as well as over 32,000 potential misconnections—2,800 of which were found to connect directly to watercourses.
Using AI, the team rapidly identified wastewater features and possible pollution risks, which will help improve network management and reduce pollution.
