High-speed fibre optic broadband cables could run through the nation’s water pipes to help reach homes without digging up roads.
A trial scheme will also examine putting sensors into the pipes to allow water companies to quickly identify and repair leaks.
A £4 million trial will explore whether the process could be used to improve connectivity for homes, businesses and mobile masts.
Digital infrastructure minister Matt Warman said: “The cost of digging up roads and land is the biggest obstacle telecoms companies face when connecting hard-to-reach areas to better broadband, but beneath our feet there is a vast network of pipes reaching virtually every building in the country.
The Fibre in Water project is due to conclude in March 2024 and any scheme to use the pipes would have to be approved by the Drinking Water Inspectorate before being used in the real world.
The Government is already considering giving broadband firms access to more than a million kilometres of underground utility ducts to boost the rollout of next-generation broadband – including electricity, gas and sewer networks.
