Most of us rarely think about what runs beneath our feet. Underground sewer systems, out of sight and out of mind, quietly carry away our waste—but when neglected, they can become deadly. Aging pipes, unnoticed cracks, and accumulating debris can quietly weaken the soil around them. Without periodic inspections, these hidden vulnerabilities can escalate into catastrophic failures.
Sinkholes can suddenly appear in neighborhoods, swallowing cars and damaging homes. Streets can collapse without warning, putting pedestrians, drivers, and nearby structures at serious risk. Beyond property damage, these events can impact the environment and endanger lives, leaving communities shaken and emergency responders scrambling.
For example, during 2025, densely populated suburbs of Tokyo, Japan have experienced major disruptions and at least one death from sewer pipe related sinkholes that have impacted services for 1.2 million people.
Fortunately, emerging technologies are making proactive sewer monitoring more affordable and accessible. Low-cost, untethered inspection systems such as SewerScout™ from Subterra™ allow municipalities to quickly assess underground pipes without the heavy logistical burden of traditional CCTV inspections.
Coupled with end-to-end solutions, such as FlowSIGHT™ from ADS Environmental Services®, these rapid inspection tools provide actionable insights into pipe condition, enabling screening-level assessments at a fraction of the cost. Follow up using tracked and tethered CCTV systems can then be targeted on only those pipe segments with identified issues.
Regular inspection and maintenance are no longer just a regulatory necessity—they are critical safety measures. By leveraging modern inspection technologies, cities can detect vulnerabilities early, prevent disasters, save lives, and avoid the enormous costs of street collapses and sinkholes.
Ignoring what lies beneath may save money today, but the human, financial and environmental cost of failure is far too high.