iX Challenge: Identifying Leaks and Seepage in Canal Infrastructure (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 27-Oct-2026

Innovate UK Business Connect and Canal & River Trust are seeking scalable, non-invasive, and low-cost technologies for detecting hidden leaks and seepage in canal infrastructure across the United Kingdom. Successful applicants may be invited to pitch their solutions and participate in pilot trials, potentially leading to wider adoption by Canal & River Trust.

About the Canal Leak Detection Innovation Support

The initiative is being delivered through the Innovation Exchange programme of Innovate UK Business Connect in collaboration with Canal & River Trust. The challenge connects Canal & River Trust’s infrastructure management needs with companies and innovators that can adapt technologies, products, or expertise from different industries. The goal is to identify practical solutions that can detect canal leaks and seepage that conventional visual inspections may miss. Why Hidden Canal Leaks Are a Challenge Leaks in canals are not always visible from the surface. Water can escape into permeable ground or travel through complex pathways within canal embankments and banks.

Hidden leakage can contribute to:

- Internal erosion of embankments - Voids beneath or around canal infrastructure - Structural instability - Increased maintenance requirements - Water loss from the canal network - Damage to nearby land or infrastructure - Safety and operational risks Early detection can help Canal & River Trust investigate problems before they develop into major infrastructure failures. What Solutions Are Being Sought? Applicants should propose innovative methods for detecting hidden leakage, seepage, void formation, or internal erosion in canal infrastructure.

Solutions should preferably be:

- Non-invasive or minimally disruptive - Affordable to deploy and operate - Scalable across an extensive canal network - Suitable for repeated or continuous monitoring - Capable of identifying leaks missed during visual inspections - Practical in complex outdoor environments - Able to provide reliable and actionable information - Commercially viable for wider adoption Technologies developed for other industries may be considered if they can be adapted effectively for canal monitoring. Priority Technical Areas The challenge is particularly interested in solutions that can identify: - Leaks disappearing into permeable soil or ground - Leakage pathways through canal embankments or banks - Seepage that is not visible at the surface - Voids developing within or beneath canal structures - Signs of internal erosion - Leakage around culverts - Leakage near locks and other canal assets - Changes that may indicate an emerging infrastructure problem Rapid detection methods for assessing leaks around culverts, locks, and similar structures are especially relevant. Leak Detection and Quantification Canal & River Trust is interested in both detecting leakage and measuring its severity. Although several technologies may identify the presence of water or moisture, accurately calculating the leakage rate can be more difficult. Applicants should explain whether their proposed solution can: - Confirm that leakage is occurring - Identify the approximate location of a leak - Estimate the size or severity of the problem - Measure or calculate the leakage rate - Track changes in leakage over time - Distinguish normal water movement from infrastructure failure Solutions that combine leak detection with reliable quantification may offer additional value. Data Collection Requirements Proposals should clearly explain how the technology gathers, processes, and interprets information.

Applicants should address:

- How frequently data will be collected - Whether monitoring is continuous, periodic, or event-based - How quickly results can be produced - What equipment or sensors are required - Whether data can be collected remotely - How the system identifies abnormal conditions - How users will receive alerts or reports - What environmental factors could affect accuracy The proposal should also explain how data from different sources or monitoring points will be triangulated to establish confidence in the identification and location of a leak. Potential Technology Approaches The challenge is open to solutions from different sectors and technical disciplines. Potential approaches may include, but are not limited to: - Remote sensing - Geophysical monitoring - Acoustic sensing - Thermal imaging - Fibre-optic sensing - Satellite or drone-based monitoring - Ground-penetrating technologies - Moisture and pressure sensors - Artificial intelligence and machine learning - Internet of Things monitoring systems - Data analytics and predictive maintenance tools - Technologies adapted from utilities, mining, construction, rail, energy, or environmental monitoring Applicants should demonstrate how their solution can be adapted to canal environments rather than simply presenting a general-purpose technology. Who Can Apply? The opportunity is relevant to companies, technology developers, innovators, and solution providers capable of addressing the canal leakage challenge.

Potential applicants may include:

- Start-ups and scale-ups - Small and medium-sized enterprises - Engineering and infrastructure companies - Environmental technology businesses - Sensor and monitoring technology providers - Data analytics and artificial intelligence companies - Universities and research organizations with commercially applicable solutions - Businesses from industries outside the water and canal sectors Cross-sector applications are encouraged where an existing technology can be transferred or adapted for canal infrastructure. Applicants should consult the official challenge guidelines to confirm any legal, geographic, partnership, or organizational eligibility conditions. What Makes a Strong Solution? A competitive proposal should demonstrate that the technology is technically credible, operationally practical, and affordable. Strong solutions are likely t