Hong Kong invests HK$30 million in water pipe robots to detect leaks

Hong Kong authorities have invested HK$30 million (US$3.8 million) in developing water pipe robots, modelled after endoscopes, to navigate the city’s complex urban infrastructure and detect leaks, addressing the risks posed by the ageing water network.

The Water Supplies Department announced on Monday the opening of the Pipeline Robots Joint Laboratory, a collaboration between the department, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and mainland robotics company Shenzhen Bwell Technology.

The two-year collaboration will see researchers develop a robot based on existing models from Bwell, designed to adapt to Hong Kong’s high-density environment.

Roger Wong Yan-lok, director of the Water Supplies Department, said the laboratory was a “crucial step” towards the authority’s goal of reducing the water leakage rate to below 10 per cent by 2030.

“Hong Kong’s water supply network is located underground in an environment with dense public utilities and frequent road work,” he said at the opening ceremony.

“To address these challenges, we have been actively exploring solutions suitable for Hong Kong’s unique environment, seeking leak detection methods that combine innovative technology and artificial intelligence.”