Sewer maintenance professionals depend heavily on sewer inspection equipment and software. In simple terms, the equipment gathers video and measurements from inside the sewer, and the software allows us to classify, analyze and archive that data. With the latest generation of software yielding new insights and better maintenance decisions, choosing a software platform is as important as choosing equipment. However, software often comes bundled into a crawler sale, so purchasers may fail to understand their full range of options. Ultimately, many settle for what’s presented, rather than what’s possible.

Before the development of defect coding catalogs, a big issue facing sewer maintenance supervisors was consistent data. How could they take qualitative observations and turn it into measurable, actionable information? Many cities created their own defect catalogs, while others chose to tweak catalogs from other countries to fit. After the National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) released their Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program (PACP) to the U.S., cities were able to drop their custom defect catalogs for an out-of-the-box catalog. Using the codes and ratings from PACP allows camera operators to log observations cleanly and consistently from pipe to pipe, inspection to inspection over time. Supervisors and engineers can compare defects from different parts of their system, inspected by different operators on different days, using their computers to analyze and prioritize repairs.

Cataloging wastewater infrastructure allows municipalities to transition from reactive organizations to proactive ones. Whether listing structural damage or blockages, or prioritizing maintenance and communication across teams, the use of catalogs increases efficiency and saves resources. To provide real value to the user, observation catalogs must produce data that is consistent, processable and translatable.

WinCan holds certification for more than 30 regional standards around the globe, helping solidify its world leadership within the sewer asset management industry and demonstrating its commitment to providing high quality software. Most recently, the National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) awarded WinCan with certification for Version 7 of the industry-standard Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP).