Monitoring Deterioration in a Catchment’s Sewerage System

Groundwater seepage through cracks in the sewerage pipeline is a major maintenance issue in most cities’ sewer networks. The more the sewer pipes crack – and the wider these cracks are – the worse the rainfall seepage problem becomes.

The total volume of rainwater seepage into the sewer pipes for a catchment is correlated with deterioration and can therefore be used to estimate the rate of deterioration. This paper describes a monitoring system that can be used to identify significant trends in sewer deterioration.

Effective monitoring by asset managers can highlight the need for early maintenance such as removing tree roots from pipe cracks and patching the cracks.