Unlocking plumbing’s digital potential

One theme that became increasingly clear ahead of WPC 2026 was that the future of plumbing will be shaped as much by digital transformation as it will be by skills and standards. Across the world, new technologies are already redefining how plumbing systems are designed, approved and managed, raising questions about whether the UK is ready to follow.

Here we bring together two perspectives at the heart of that conversation. From Hong Kong, Ir Daniel Chow, senior engineer at the Water Supplies Department HK, offers a real-world example of how AI and data are already transforming the industry. From the UK, Joe Richmond, founder of The Proper Plumbing Co and a former Water Regulations inspector and business transformation manager at Yorkshire Water, brings both regulatory and operational insight.

Digitalisation in practice

Hong Kong is already using AI to speed up processes and raise standards across the plumbing industry

While much of the conversation around digitalisation in plumbing remains theoretical, Hong Kong is already putting it into practice. Ir Daniel Chow leads a team focused on integrating advanced technologies into water services and has been instrumental in developing an AI-powered platform designed to transform how plumbing systems are designed, submitted and approved.

At its core, the system tackles a long-standing challenge: how to make the water supply application process faster, more accurate and more accessible without compromising on standards. “In simple terms, we’ve created an intelligent e-service platform that allows plumbers to generate compliant plumbing diagrams automatically,” Chow explains. “The system uses AI and standard templates to guide users through the process, ensuring their designs meet regulatory requirements before submission.”

Traditionally, the process has been slow and inconsistent. In Hong Kong, as in many parts of the world, plumbing diagrams were often hand-drawn or produced using individual methods, creating variability and, therefore, delays in approvals. “The industry has a long history,” Chow says. “We had to find a way to move forward without losing that experience, while still improving consistency.”

The new platform replaces that uncertainty with structure. By combining techniques, such as deep learning, visual recognition and future natural language processing, the system works by interpreting technical requirements and more flexible regulatory guidance. Chow explains: “Some requirements are very precise, but others are more descriptive. We had to train it to understand and interpret those kinds of instructions, which was a complex process.”

The result is a tool that allows users to build plumbing diagrams using a simple drag-and-drop interface, accessible from a laptop or mobile device. Behind the scenes, the system ensures that every design aligns with regulatory standards before it is submitted, significantly reducing the risk of errors.

However, introducing the technology was only part of the challenge. Changing behaviour proved just as important. “We knew we couldn’t just build the system, we had to make people want to use it,” Chow says. “That meant focusing heavily on user experience, simplifying the interface and refining the system through continuous feedback. Early versions were more rigid, but user input helped shape a far more intuitive platform.”

Chow tells us that they listened closely to feedback: “Now, the system is much simpler. We’ve reduced it to just a few clicks for each step.”

Within just over a year, the platform has moved from a basic digital tool to a fully integrated paperless system that is supported by cloud infrastructure and secure digital submission processes. “We’ve reduced the application process from several weeks to within two days,” Chow says.

In an industry where time directly impacts cost and productivity, that shift is substantial. But speed is only part of the story, because by embedding compliance into the design process, the system also improves consistency and helps raise overall standards. “One of the most innovative aspects of the system is its link to a self-certification scheme. Professionals who consistently submit high-quality work are recognised within the platform, building a digital track record,” Chow says. “That helps improve their reputation and creates more opportunities within the industry.”

In this way, digitalisation is not just improving processes, it is reshaping the profession itself. By linking performance, recognition and opportunity, the platform introduces a new level of accountability, which raises the expectations of the workforce. “Professionals need to upskill,” Chow says. “They are no longer just carrying out traditional tasks, they are managing systems, using digital tools and thinking more strategically.”

That shift reflects a broader transformation across the sector, where automation is beginning to handle routine work, allowing skilled professionals to focus on higher-value tasks. Looking ahead, Chow sees AI not as an optional extra, but as an inevitable part of the future: “We are already living in an AI era,” he says. “The question is not whether we use it, but how we apply it effectively. We need to be open-minded, and willing to learn and adapt.

Opportunity meets reality

Incredible technology exists, but can the UK adopt it? Joe Richmond explores the structural challenges, and why progress may depend on deeper industry reform.

The Hong Kong model is undeniably inspiring, demonstrating what is possible when tech, regulation and industry align. As Chow explains: “We can take our experience and knowledge and turn it into structured models that can be adapted in different regions.”

The question, then, is not whether it could work in the UK, but what it would take. Joe Richmond is clear on one point: the opportunity is there, and technology is not the barrier. “The technology is superb,” he says. “It’s utilising things that are already out there, and if that foundation is right, it makes it easy for plumbers to use.”

For homeowners and building operators, for example, having a consistent digital record of what has been installed, and how, could transform how systems are maintained over time. For professional bodies and accreditation schemes, it offers a way to better support members and demonstrate quality in a more transparent way. “There’s real value in having that record,” Richmond suggests. “It gives clarity, it gives consistency, and it helps raise the standard across the board.”

So, the benefits are really clear, but what are the barriers to turning this potential into a working reality in the UK? “The challenge is getting everyone aligned,” Richmond says. “You have local authorities, water undertakers, regulators, manufacturers all involved in different parts of the process.”

Richmond highlights that fragmentation is one of the defining characteristics of the UK system. And while digital solutions already exist in certain areas, such as gas registration and warranty processes, scaling that kind of integration across plumbing would depend on a much higher level of coordination. “You’d need buy-in from all the relevant bodies,” Richmond explains. “And manufacturers would have to be part of that conversation as well.”

Where systems have been designed to work together, and where processes have been made simple for the end user, adoption has followed. But for Richmond, there is a more fundamental issue that sits beneath all this, one that ultimately determines whether systems like this can succeed. “Anybody can call themselves a plumber,” he says. “With little training and a basic set of tools, anyone can start trading. The lack of licensing creates a gap that makes it difficult to embed consistent standards. And for me, that’s the reason things struggle to move forward, as there’s no oversight or consistent auditing.”

Without that foundation, even the most well-designed systems risk becoming optional rather than essential. Guidance and best practice may exist, but without enforcement, there is little to ensure they are followed consistently. “The reason bad plumbing happens is because there’s no consequence to it,” Richmond says.

This is where digitalisation could play a more powerful role, not just as a tool for efficiency but as part of a wider framework for improving standards. “It could be the central system that pulls everything together,” Richmond says. “You could build in checks, qualifications, compliance, documentation, and make that part of the process.

“In that scenario, technology becomes more than an enabler, it is part of the mechanism that supports professionalism and accountability, and that shift would also support wider industry goals. As the UK moves towards net zero, improves water efficiency and introduces new technologies, the need for accurate data, consistent standards and clear records will only increase.

“If we don’t move in this direction, we’re just going to inherit more problems in the future. This is the start of a much bigger conversation about where the industry goes in the long term.”