Collection Systems

Diving deep: The unseen work that keeps sewers flowing

In the murky depths of sewer tunnels, sewer divers navigate hazardous conditions to clear blockages, assess pipe structures, and prevent system collapse.
March 7, 2025
5 min read

In Ohio, a municipality was gearing up to perform assessments on its sanitary collection system.

As with most sewer assessments, the municipality wanted to establish realistic goals, budgets and schedules for its Capacity, Management, Operation and Maintenance (CMOM) program.

Upon inspections, the municipality realized it needed a better eye on one of its 96-inch concrete sewer mains.

Project requirements

The municipality chose Bulldog Diving LLC., to conduct the large sewer assessment. The job quickly proved to be intensive. It required a visual inspection by safely lowering a technician into the sewer main, through a manhole entryway that ranged up to 14 feet high.

Once inside, divers would need to gather core samples from the eight-foot diameter line. Job specifications required a six-inch core sample, which proved an additional challenge due to the structural rebar in the sewer line.

About the Author

Alex Cossin

Associate Editor

Alex Cossin is the associate editor for Waterworld Magazine, Wastewater Digest and Stormwater Solutions, which compose the Endeavor Business Media Water Group. Cossin graduated from Kent State University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. Cossin can be reached at [email protected].

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