Why is there a robot in my water main?

Don’t fear the robotic invasion. They’re just checking our pipes.

Every summer, Louisville Water Company deploys “swimming” robots to inspect the interior of its largest mains. These robots evaluate pipe strength and look for leaks. They are then retrieved from the pipes.

Louisville Water has over 4,200 miles of water main, and 200 miles are at least 24 inches in diameter. These high-capacity pipes cannot easily be drained for inspection – so submergible robots fill an important need.

Louisville Water expects a water main to last at least 100 years. Preventative maintenance with robots helps with reliable water delivery.

– Beverly Bartlett