Off the retail shelf idea gives water industry a digital boost

National drainage and wastewater utility specialist Lanes Group plc has repurposed technology used for showing prices on supermarket shelves to create the water industry’s first digital permit board.

The new boards are being lined up to display information about worksites in a way that complies with local authority regulations and saves the disposal of thousands of conventional signs every year.

The retail-to-water industry innovation has been developed by Ty Harling, Head of Field Operations for Lanes services delivered for Thames Water, who had previously worked as a senior manager for a national retail chain.

Eliminating faults

He said: “Our director, Andy Brierley, challenged me to develop a way to improve on the permit boards we currently display at worksites. They can look messy and can incur local authority fines if they’re not accurate.

“I thought back to my time in the retail industry and realised the digital signs many retailers use to display prices that can change frequently might be adapted to create a neat solution.

“We’ve worked on a concept with a signage supplier and have designed a very robust digital display board that we believe will eliminate faults and be a much more sustainable solution for our work teams.”

The idea has been applauded by industry experts. “So simple, yet so effective. Why haven’t people thought of this before?” said a survey company director on LinkedIn.

A water utility customer and stakeholder manager said: “Love this. [The permit board] is the first thing I look at on site. Great innovation.” A global information systems director commented: “At the cutting edge, as always.”

Remotely updated

Work teams set up in public areas for longer than a day must, by law, display a sign with specific information. This includes the expected finish date of the work and a permit number.

The conventional method is to use wipeable plastic boards that can often only be reused a handful of times before they have to be replaced.

Instead, the new digital permit board developed by Lanes has a low-energy LCD screen encased in a tough, damage resistant aluminium outer frame.

Each board is allocated to a specific work vehicle. After every job, a designated Lanes colleague will remotely update the board with new permit information – beamed out using a wireless transmitter – ready for the next worksite the vehicle is sent to.

Because of way LCD technology works, the system uses almost no energy. The screen’s battery lasts for up to three years on one charge, and information will still be displayed if power is lost.

Lanes Technical Director Andy Brierly said: “Ty and the rest of the team who’ve worked on this have come up with a super-smart and scalable solution. It’s a first in the water industry and will provide our stakeholders with clear and accurate information about our work.

“Local authorities can fine utilities and construction companies over £100 for every piece of inaccurate or missing information on a permit board. That can add up to a sizable financial penalty on just one worksite.

“This digital board will greatly reduce the risk of this happening. It also prevents thousands of plastic boards being disposed of every year, and looks professional and smart, properly representing the Thames Water brand.”

15 million customers

The digital permit boards are destined to be used by Lanes teams involved in long-term projects, including flood prevention programmes, trunk sewer cleaning, and specialist civils work, such as concrete removal. 

Lanes is Thames Water’s sole network services maintenance partner. Its teams are responsible for reactive and planned maintenance across the UK’s largest and most complex sewer network, relied on by 15 million wastewater customers.

Find out more

Talk to Lanes about its water utility services. Telephone: 0800 526 488. Email: sales@lanesgroup.co.uk.