Televising Sewer Lines

Televising sewer lines has been an invaluable way of assessing the condition of a sewer line in real time. It can reveal blockages from debris to roots to grease; show cracks, breaks or deterioration of a pipe. It allows for this kind of detailed diagnosis without the need for excavation, saving time and money.

The televising is performed by a robotic camera that is lowered into a sewer line through a manhole. The camera is attached to a cable that runs back to a Television Truck where Wastewater Collection crew members can control the camera's speed, move it forward or back, change its angle of perspective, and digitally record and document a visual image of a pipeline's interior. The cable allows the camera to travel as much as 500 feet down a sewer line before it must be moved to another manhole further downstream. The camera can also be fitted with a variety of wheels or tracks that allow the camera to travel easily through different kinds of pipe - concrete, clay or PVC.

Below are digital photos from sewer lines in the City of San Diego. These photos show sewer lines that have deteriorated, developed cracks or holes, been broken or are blocked by the intrusion of roots. These are the kind of sewer line problems that must be repaired to prevent sewer spills.