Trenchless Technology: Artificial Intelligence & Condition Assessment
Let’s face it, sewer inspections haven’t changed much since the days of disco. A camera on wheels, a human pressing buttons, and hours (or days) of squinting at screens to figure out what’s going on underground.
But the Town of Newburgh, Indiana, decided it was time to level up.
Like many communities, Newburgh had a mountain of inspection data, thousands of reports, spreadsheets, and video files that no one had time to sort through. On top of that, they weren’t using PACP coding across the board, which made it hard to compare pipes and prioritize repairs. Add a healthy dose of human subjectivity (no offense to the seasoned inspectors), and you’ve got a recipe for inefficiency.
Enter AI.
Newburgh teamed up with PipeAId to run 40,000 feet of CCTV footage through AI. The results? Game-changing.
✅ Consistent PACP coding—same pipe, same code, every time
✅ Visual GIS outputs showing size, material, inspection dates, and defects
✅ Smarter decisions on where to spend their budget (based on actual deterioration rates)
✅ Bonus: The AI plays well with existing workflows—no need for new training or gear
This isn’t about replacing people—it’s about helping teams work smarter, not harder. With AI doing the heavy coding, staff can focus on capturing good footage and keeping pipes clear (bye, roots 👋).
Oh, and the town even used AI to compare old footage with new inspections and found out that some pipes were actually improving, thanks to earlier point repairs. Imagine being able to show your city council a side-by-side before/after and prove the money’s been well spent. That’s next-level accountability.
As Newburgh’s Sewer Commissioner put it:
“This AI system is taking our sewer pipe assessment program to the next level.”
We couldn’t agree more.
👉 Read the full article here
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