Blog Insights

The Future of Sewer Inspection Technology

What is the future of sewer inspection services and pipeline inspection technology?

  • Sewer Inspection Services are continually evolving.  Transitioning from capturing sewer inspection data on VHS tapes to capturing sewer inspection televising digitally to the most current evolution of real time defect detection identification using Artificial Intelligence algorithm techniques.
  • Pipeline Inspection Technology advances will positively affect Sewer Infrastructure Monitoring, Sewer System Diagnostics and Sewer Maintenance Technology.
  • Sewer System Diagnostics are advancing through the utilization of AI Object detection algorithms.  This AI technology identifies precise itemized sewer defects like Sewer Pipe Cracks, Sewer Leak Detection, Root Intrusion and Sewer Joint Misalignment.
  • AI pipeline Inspection Technology provides continual consistency to an industry that traditionally was only as good as the sewer camera operator gathering the sewer defect data.
  • The evolution of Automated sewer defect detection contributes to developing proactive sewer maintenance programs versus reactive sewer maintenance programs.   AI Sewer Defect Identification consistency provides sewer collection system operators the confidence needed to verify required sewer collection system maintenance fund requests.
  •  If history is any indication, sewer collection system issues occur during Holiday Seasons or during a Rain Event when there is increased sanitary sewer pressure on the sewer collection system.  Holiday and Rain Event sewer emergencies create budget cost overruns.  Improved sewer maintenance with AI technology helps to mitigate unanticipated sanitary sewer emergencies due to more thorough sewer defect data collection.
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AI Image Recognition for Sewer Pipes

  • AI image recognition for sewer pipes is the most recent evolution in sewer televising.
  • It wasn’t too long ago that digital sewer televising was the latest and greatest in the Sewer Televising Industry.  Digital sewer televising was introduced to the United Stated in around the year 2000.
  • Prior to Digital Sewer Televising, VHS tapes were the latest and greatest data gathering technology introduced in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.
  • Hand written logs and in some cases still camera shots were the norm for sewer televising operators prior to the late 1970’s.
  • Evolution in the sewer televising industry is inevitable.  The more recent evolutionary techniques appear to occur approximately 20 years apart.  AI is already accelerating future sewer evolution time lines.
  • Software developers will create new, exciting and innovative ways to use AI technology for sewer pipeline analysis.  Continuing education services teaching defect identification to Sewer Televising Operators will fall by the wayside.  Autonomous Sewer televising defect detection, using AI, will make manual sewer defect detection obsolete.
  • There is already patented Sewer televising defect identification using AI currently available.  Embrace this next evolution in AI-driven CCTV sewer inspection.

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AI-Powered Sewer Diagnostics Saves Money

  •  AI sewer defect detection reduces required data entry, on the part of the sewer televising camera operators. 
  • Reducing currently required sewer camera operator manual data entry, offers the opportunity for increased daily sewer televising production.
  • Reduced current sewer televising camera operator manual data entry distractions, encourage suitable circumstances for enhanced sewer televising operator skill level.
  • Enhanced sewer televising camera operator skills contribute to mitigating related impending equipment repair costs.
  • Reduced equipment repair costs, enhanced sewer televising camera operator skill levels and increased daily sewer televising production is why Automated Sewer Defect Detection will continue to develop.  As AI-powered sewer diagnostics continues to evolve, the overall costs for sewer televising and sewer pipe defect analytics will continue to decrease.

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Why Computer Vision Sewer Defect Detection Makes Sense

  • The effective use of manpower is essential to the success of any organization involved the underground infrastructure industry.
  • Computer Vision Technology has advance to a point where autonomous sewer defect detection can substantially reduce sewer evaluation time.
  • Data-driven sewer defect analysis contributes to more project management workforce energies apportioned toward sewer maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement.
  • Computer Vision Sewer Defect Detection encourages consistent data-driven evaluation for sewer pre-construction, sewer post construction and sewer end of warranty period examinations.
  • Autonomated sewer inspections afford Municipalities, Consulting Engineers and Wastewater facilities the opportunity to re-allocate much needed time and money to consequential issues that arise.

Next time, we’ll cover how this also helps save you money!

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Why Municipalities Are Investigating AI Sewer Analysis

  • AI-powered sewer diagnostics removes the need for Sewer Televising Operators to go through paid continuing education regarding sewer defect identification.
  • As staff either retires or leaves Municipalities, Automated Sewer Defect Detection shortens the learning curve for both Sewer Televising Operators and Consulting or Inhouse Engineers regarding sewer defect detection.
  • Sewer AI inspection technology makes presentations to Cities, Villages, Town Boards and Sanitary Districts, quicker, easier and visually self-explanatory to whomever is viewing the presentation.
  • AI-powered sewer diagnostics provides more robust information when requesting funding for Sewer Collection System Pipe Rehabilitation, Repair or Replacement.  Automated sewer defect detection visually displays sewer defects using a sewer defect bounding box format for ease of identification.
  • This Patented AI Technology, by Infrastructure DL, is delivered in an Excel Format.  Excel is a very familiar format within the Wastewater Collection System Community.
  • Existing digital sewer televising videos can be processed from as far back as 20 years ago or as recent as yesterday.  This allows Municipalities to take advantage of Collection System Digital Sewer Televising that has already been paid for, but has not been analyzed.
  • Easy on Budgeting.  No Specialized Software Required.  Billed only by the lineal foot with no Minimums.

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5 Ways AI Improves Sewer Video Inspection Accuracy

  1. Remove Sewer Televising Operator Bias
    • Often times Sewer Camera Operators retain Bias from the last project they recently Televised.  If an operator just completed a project where Roots were very prevalent, roots are on the operator’s mind and the sewer televising operator may be seeking out Roots more than other types of pipe defects.  AI algorithms have no residual bias.  Defects are marked based on trained algorithms of several thousand sewer defect types and categories.
  2. AI-powered sewer diagnostics are more thorough than manual sewer defect detection
    • Sewer Televising Operators typically do not mark every defect within a sewer pipe.  Often Operators will mark a particular defect and use a defect extension “Continual Defect”. The “Continual Defect” technique diminishes the visual accuracy of the projected overall pipe condition.  AI sewer defect detection marks far more defects than the “Continual Defect” technique. Automated sewer defect detection contributes to a more robust overall pipe condition assessment report.
  3. Increased Operator Focus on Sewer Camera Operation
    • Currently most Sewer Televising Operators use software that requires action when encountering and identifying a defect.  Typically, an operator must select a defect severity level from a computer pull down screen menu.  This technique removes focus and attention from the sewer camera within the sewer pipe.  AI sewer defect detection eliminates the need for removing focus from the operation of the $30,000 plus value of sewer camera equipment inside the pipe.  Focusing mostly on operating the sewer equipment, within the sewer pipe, contributes to increased operator skill level and possibly reduced equipment repair expenses.
  4. Lessens Operator Production Pressure
    • Many Sewer Televising Operators feel the pressure of televising a required minimum amount of footage daily.  Logging sewer defects manually takes time. Automated sewer defect detection speeds up sewer televising, by mitigating the data entry time and increasing sewer televising camera movement time.
  5. Eliminates Consulting Engineer Evaluation Bias
    • Many municipalities use consulting Civil Engineers or in house municipal staff Engineers.  When Engineers evaluate sewer televising video, they encounter similar biases that sewer televising operators encounter.  When Engineers see the designation “Continual Defect” it forces the Engineer to watch the entire sewer televising video. Manual sewer televising video evaluation is a time consuming and tedious job.  Defect identification bias is often times a byproduct of evaluating sewer televising videos.  AI sewer defect detection mitigates sewer video evaluation bias and fatigue.
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