Adapting project strategies for reservoir safety and aquatic INNS management

The UK water infrastructure sector is adapting to changes in reservoir safety and environmental legislation, particularly concerning aquatic invasive non-native species such as zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis). Their impacts on large raw water reservoirs, including sedimentation, corrosion, and ecological degradation, necessitate integrated biosecurity and mitigation strategies across clients and designers. Conventional mitigation measures including protective coatings, high-pressure water jetting, scraping tools, abrasive brushing, specialised pigging systems, Regulation 31-approved molluscicides, nature-based catchment interventions, and operational abstraction controls are widely used to manage mussel colonisation within water infrastructure assets. However, their effectiveness and feasibility are often constrained by the accessibility of the structure, the extent of biological fouling, and the safety risks involved with confined or submerged working environments. These limitations highlight the need for innovative, safer, and more adaptable solutions for challenging hydraulic environments. The use of a remotely operated cleaning machine (ROCM), combined with the early integration of biosecurity, access, and maintainability requirements within asset design, introduces such a step change in dam safety practice. The ROCM provides efficient, diver-free cleaning of culverts, intake tunnels, and other restricted hydraulic assets through remotely controlled, hydraulically driven brushes and shredding mechanisms, significantly reducing operational risk while enhancing reliability and long-term maintainability.