Capgemini: Using AI and Data to Clean Up Rivers
Global consultancy and transformation company Capgemini has agreed to provide services that will boost the monitoring of river water quality in the UK.
The business will provide services to Additive Catchments to scale its Catchment Monitoring as a Service (CMaaS) platform.
The collaboration is designed to address the critical need for continuous water quality monitoring mandated by the UK’s 2021 Environment Act.
Currently, only 14% of England’s rivers meet good ecological health standards.
Capgemini and Additive Catchments say they aim to “deliver high-assurance data and insights, helping water companies and stakeholders to comply with regulations, tackle pollution and drive meaningful environmental improvements”.
Addressing a national priority
As part of the agreement, Capgemini will drive the platform’s scalability and innovation, harnessing its expertise in AI, data and digital transformation. It will provide the following services:
- Ongoing R&D capability, to drive advancements in machine learning, earth observation and smart maintenance
- Digital capabilities, such as virtual sensors, to reduce costs and environmental impact
- Business consulting services including strategic ESG advisory and carbon monitoring consulting
- Operational and software platform management to ensure long-term scalability and impact.
Rob Walker. Managing Director of the UK Business Unit, Capgemini, said: “This collaboration reflects Capgemini’s commitment to working with high-potential ventures that drive sustainability and digital transformation.
“By combining Additive Catchments’ innovative platform with our expertise, we aim to help water companies take control of this critical challenge and deliver on their regulatory and environmental responsibilities.”
Rob added: “2025 is a pivotal year for the UK’s water industry, and we are proud to contribute to a solution that addresses this national priority.”
Forging a new path
Rob Passmore, CEO & Co-founder, Additive Catchments, said the agreement marks a “defining moment” for the company.
He added: “With Capgemini’s support, we are well positioned to accelerate the delivery of our solution and scale its impact across the UK, enabling water companies and stakeholders to meet critical regulatory challenges while driving tangible improvements in river health.
“Together, we are forging a new path for innovation and collaboration in environmental stewardship.”
James Forrest, EVP, Global Energy Transition & Utilities Industry Leader, Capgemini, said: “We are in the midst of a pollution crisis, with only 14% of England's rivers currently meeting good ecological health standards.
“This collaboration will help address this by enabling Additive Catchments to scale its unique CMaaS platform, providing unprecedented river health monitoring capabilities to water companies and enabling new business models for managing water pollution.”
What does the law say?
The 2021 Environment Act requires all water companies in the UK to implement continuous monitoring upstream and downstream of discharge points, creating the world’s largest environmental monitoring programme.
With over £100bn expected to be invested during the upcoming 5-year regulatory cycle that starts in April 2025 to improve infrastructure and environmental outcomes, it is seen as an unprecedented opportunity to improve river health.
The CMaaS platform supports this by delivering actionable insights to water companies, enabling targeted interventions and proactive responses to pollution.
By addressing a key regulatory challenge, the collaboration also creates a scalable solution for global environmental monitoring needs.
The platform pulls together data from diverse sources, such as sensors, satellite imagery, the Met Office, Environment Agency and other public datasets.
It then delivers insights to a broad range of stakeholders, including water companies, landowners, farmers and local communities.
About Additive Catchments
Additive Catchments describes itself as an “impact-driven company enabling better environmental decision-making through advanced technologies, including remote sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, earth observation, big data and low-code development”.
Developed alongside partners including Siemens and AtkinsRéalis, its CMaaS platform offers continuous water quality monitoring designed to drive measurable improvements in river health and environmental outcomes.
Additive Catchments is majority-owned by a non-profit organisation and is “deeply committed to transforming river stewardship by uniting stakeholders around shared goals to deliver positive environmental and societal impact”.
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