Liverpool-based United Utilities will launch the first £14m ($17.5m) phase of a £30m project to reduce UK water leaks by deploying 100,000 acoustic microphones or loggers. The company claimed it is the world's biggest listening project of its kind and will begin with 44,000 loggers across the north-west this summer. The loggers listen for characteristic leak noises and send alerts to United Utilities, which then locates and plugs them. A trial last year in Warrington and Manchester city centres saved up to five million litres daily.
Warrington-based United Utilities will launch the first £14m ($17.5m) phase of a £30m project to reduce UK water leaks by deploying 100,000 acoustic microphones or loggers. The company claimed it is the world's biggest listening project of its kind and will begin with 44,000 loggers across the north-west this summer. The loggers listen for characteristic leak noises and send alerts to United Utilities, which then locates and plugs them. A trial last year in Liverpool and Manchester city centres saved up to five million litres daily.