Urban, industrial and agricultural wastewater systems are vital but often invisible infrastructures. They collect and evacuate wastewater, ensuring both public health and environmental protection. Yet managing them remains a major challenge: ageing pipes, blockages, infiltrations or leaks can generate health problems and considerable costs.
Against this backdrop, regular diagnosis of wastewater networks is an essential step. But how can you effectively inspect kilometers of pipes, often buried, narrow or partially flooded? Conventional methods - such as wired cameras or ITV carts - have long been the norm, with their advantages but also their limitations.
Today, technological innovations supported by Multinnov make it possible to go even further. Thanks to specialized inspection robots, such as the Roview2it is now possible to carry out safer, faster and more accurate diagnostics, while optimizing costs.
The importance of diagnosing wastewater systems
Prevent incidents and anticipate maintenance needs
A faulty sewer system can cause :
- blockages leading to sewer overflows,
- leaks causing infiltration and weakening the soil,
- structural degradation accelerated by corrosion or wear.
These incidents have serious health, environmental and economic consequences. Accurate diagnostics enable us to anticipate maintenance, avoid emergency repairs and extend the life of our infrastructures.
Ensuring regulatory compliance
Local authorities and industry are subject to strict health and environmental standards. Inspections provide the evidence needed to demonstrate compliance, prepare targeted work and avoid penalties.
Optimizing budgets
By detecting anomalies early, managers can reduce costs: a problem solved early is always cheaper than a major repair after a break. Diagnostics thus become an economic weapon, as well as a safety tool.
Robotic innovation in diagnostics
Limits of traditional methods
For decades, pipe inspection was based mainly on :
- Wired cameras: inserted into pipes via a cable, they provide a useful internal view, but are limited by the length of the wire, the complexity of the network, and the risk of blockages.
- ITV carts: mounted on wheels, they move inside pipes, transmitting images in real time. Although effective in relatively dry and accessible pipes, they have a number of limitations:
- reduced mobility in congested or partially flooded networks,
- dependence on flat surfaces to move forward,
- regular maintenance and sensitivity to hostile environments (mud, corrosion, chemicals).
These tools remain invaluable, but are not always sufficient to cover the diversity of situations encountered in the field.
The contribution of modern robots
The emergence of autonomous, amphibious inspection robots has transformed sewer system diagnostics:
- Enhanced mobility: some, like the Roview2, float on the surface of the water, even in partially filled pipes, where a conventional ITV truck would fail.
- High-definition cameras: precise images (HD, even 4K) can detect microcracks, infiltrations and obstructions that were previously invisible.
- Integrated lighting: powerful and adjustable, it guarantees perfect visibility even in dark pipes.
- Robustness: designed to withstand humidity, corrosive products and shocks, these robots ensure long service life.
- Real-time transmission: images and data can be consulted instantly by operators, facilitating rapid decision-making.
In short, robots outperform traditional ITV forklifts in complex environments, while reducing human risks.
Multinnov solutions and their benefits
Roview2: the sanitation specialist
The Roview2is a robot designed by Multinnov to meet the specific requirements of wastewater networks:
- Amphibious: it floats and moves on the surface of the water, enabling it to operate in flooded pipes without the need for prior pumping.
- Compact and maneuverable: its size gives it access to confined or hard-to-reach areas.
- High-definition camera and LED lighting for sharp images even in total darkness.
- Robustness: its design makes it resistant to hostile environments (mud, waste, corrosion).
- Efficiency: it considerably reduces intervention times and diagnostic costs.
In practice, the Roview2 outperforms traditional ITV forklifts when it comes to inspecting complex or water-based networks.
Complementarity with ITV forklifts
Multinnov does not reject traditional ITV forklifts: in certain situations (dry pipes, long linear distances, absence of obstacles), they remain relevant. However, the integration of the Roview2 provides a complementary solution, broadening the field of action and enabling a tailor-made approach depending on the network to be inspected.
Benefits for professionals
Manufacturers, local authorities and wastewater treatment operators benefit in several ways:
- Increased safety: less exposure of operators to confined, unhealthy environments.
- Reduced costs: less pumping, faster intervention, optimized resources.
- Accurate diagnostics: better image quality and accurate detection of anomalies.
- Continuity of service: inspections carried out without complete network interruption.
Concrete examples of intervention
Urban networks
In a large conurbation, a diagnosis carried out with Roview2 pinpointed the exact location of rainwater infiltration in an old sewer. The subsequent targeted intervention avoided a much more costly emergency repair.
Industrial networks
In a food processing plant, the use of the robot Roview2 robot revealed a progressive obstruction caused by organic deposits. Early detection enabled preventive cleaning to be planned, avoiding production interruption.
Agricultural networks
In agricultural drainage systems, often partially flooded and difficult to access, Roview2 provided usable images where a conventional ITV truck could not progress.
The diagnosis of wastewater systems is vital to health safety, environmental protection and the long-term future of infrastructures. While traditional ITV forklifts have long been the benchmark tool, their limitations have now been overcome by the emergence of specialized robots.
With solutions such as Roview2, Multinnov is redefining industry standards. Handy, robust and amphibious, this robot paves the way for faster, safer and more accurate inspections, while reducing costs and risks.
Sanitation professionals, local authorities, industrialists: choosing Multinnov means investing in cutting-edge technology that combines innovation, safety, efficiency and economy, for sustainable network management.
