Challenge
In 1998 when the City of Toronto amalgamated, Toronto
Water was responsible for consolidating datasets from
a variety of sources into a single system and centralizing
the sewer inspection process for all of the newly
amalgamated regions.
This momentous undertaking uncovered the fact that the
City lacked a standardized sewer inspection process and
this was creating a number of complexities. For example:
• data couldn't be easily accessed because it was stored
in files that were too large to download or on outdated
media formats
• data inaccuracies were common as City inspectors had
been manually inputting road names, pipe and manhole
numbers, leaving a wide margin for error
• City inspectors had been relying on Sewer.dat software
to facilitate their inspections – a tool that did not allow
them to spatially view data and get an accurate fix on the
location of their assets
The City recognized that they were in urgent need of a
standardized process, so that they could effectively compare
inventory drawings against the realities in the field and verify
structural defects in pipes, maintenance issues and the
accuracy of manhole positions.
City of Toronto revitalizes sewer
inspection process to combat aging
Infrastructure
Across Canada, sewer maintenance has become a growing priority and there has been
a significant shift to rehabilitating sewer lines before they break. Ontario's rapidly aging
infrastructure and new PSAB regulations that require municipal governments to account
for their tangible capital assets, has made it more important than ever for municipalities
to mitigate costly rehabilitation delays.
1 Esri Canada | The City of Toronto implements a unique solution to improve sewer inspection process
