Most municipalities lack the personnel and budget to keep ahead of sewer maintenance needs, meaning no effort can be wasted. Standardization of inspection data is the answer. The Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program (PACP) is a standardized protocol for documenting inspection of wastewater pipes using closed-circuit television equipment. Using PACP removes operator subjectivity from inspections and yields data that is more uniform, shareable and conducive to computer analysis.

Utilizing PACP in your sewer inspections has many benefits. One is being able to compare different sections of pipe to prioritize maintenance. Because the inspection data has all been created with the same benchmark, the decision-making process is simpler and easier, and makes room to focus on the most urgent sections.

In addition, PACP allows you to compare a current inspection with a previous inspection. It allows you to track the rate of degradation in that pipe, say how fast a section is corroding or how fast roots or an offset is growing.

“Historical comparisons are critical to making informed decisions regarding rates of deterioration,” says Marilyn Shepard, master trainer for NASSCO. With the scarcity of resources, many municipalities can only inspect at five to 10 year intervals. In that time, personnel, equipment, technology and procedures can all change. These types of changes have a profound effect on the inspection data and on how a city understands the condition of its collection system. PACP brings continuity to how data is observed and recorded. 

With data records that look the same year to year, update to update and section to section, municipalities have a greater understanding of their collection system and are able to make smarter decisions. PACP gives consistency, which allows data to be computer analyzed and allows for algorithmic generation of maintenance strategies that most effectively minimize risk and maximize return on investment. With better data, sewer maintenance is smarter, safer and more efficient.

For more on the benefits of PACP, download Envirosight’s free white paper, “5 Things You’re Missing without PACP.”