Caption: Turlock, California, gets a taste of the smart sewer.
Over the last year, RH Borden has been quietly revolutionizing Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) assessment with its BasinIQ process. Now, the sensor that provides the level data for that process is available to sewer operators and will fundamentally change how sewer systems are managed across the United States. The smart sewer is now a possibility.
The Smart Sewer Vision Becomes Reality
The concept of a “smart sewer” isn’t new—it’s the idea that sanitary sewers should report back to operators when maintenance is needed, eliminating guesswork and reactive responses. RH Borden has been developing smart sewer solutions since 2018, when we first started using acoustic assessment to identify blockages in wastewater collection system pipes.
What’s been missing until now is a sensor technology that could deliver widespread, real-time data at scale Previous sensor solutions were either too expensive, required too much maintenance, or are too complex to manage across hundreds or thousands of locations.
Why This Sensor is a Game-Changer
At RH Borden, we switched to this new sensor because of four key factors: data quality, ease of use, data connectivity, and software that allows us to manage hundreds—eventually thousands—of sensors from a single dashboard. What we quickly realized is that these characteristics don’t just make the sensor valuable for our operations—they make smart sewer deployment possible at scale for any operator.
The sensor is provided by Grundfos, and has already proven itself globally. This sensor has been installed in over 60,000 locations around the world, but notably absent from the United States—where it was only used by RH Borden. We currently have nearly 1,000 sensors deployed, primarily for inflow and infiltration (I&I) studies, with some functioning as surcharge alarms.
Opening New Possibilities for Smart Sewer Deployment
At the beginning of May 2025, RH Borden received permission to make these sensors available to the broader market. This represents a significant shift for wastewater professionals who have long struggled with tools that were either too expensive or too cumbersome to deploy at scale.
Getting Started with the Smart Sewer—No More Hotspots
If you run a sanitary sewer system, you can start by installing sensors at hotspot or high-frequency cleaning locations in your system. Then, instead of cleaning every month or quarter, you only clean when real-time data indicates it’s actually needed. This approach is both less expensive than routine hotspot cleaning and significantly less risky because decisions are based on current conditions rather than predetermined schedules.
Many system operators know they’re either under or over-cleaning their systems. This is a problem, especially in areas with historical problems. With data-driven operations, operators provide just the right amount of maintenance at the right time.
- Maintenance-Free Design: These are completely sealed units with no user-serviceable parts, a five-year battery, and no external transmitter required. They don’t mount to manhole lids and can generally transmit data from inside the vault without external antennas. They also hold a five-year warranty.
- Radar vs. Ultrasonics: The radar technology produces clean data that isn’t affected by temperature or humidity variations.
- Cellular vs. Satellite: Data transmission uses cellular signals rather than satellite communications, making connections easier to establish and maintain.
- Cost: The purchase price for the Grundfos sensor from RH Borden is just $1790, which includes two years of service and warranty. And the extendable warranty means the total cost of ownership for five years is under $3,300.
Kwin Peterson is the Northern California account manager for RH Borden. He helps collection system operators in Northern California and Western Nevada use smart sewer tools and approaches to efficiently maintain their systems.