Proactive Condition Assessment to Avoid Potential Future Emergency Disruptions

The India Street sewer force main is a critical part of the Portland Water District’s (PWD) infrastructure, carrying both wastewater and stormwater from the India Street Pump Station in downtown Portland to the East End Wastewater Treatment Facility. This 1.3-mile pipeline, made of 33-inch prestressed concrete cylinder pipe, was built in 1976. While it has never failed, it also has no backup. A failure could lead to emergency repairs, service disruptions and environmental impacts.

For the force main to remain safe and reliable, PWD partnered with INSIGHT Water Technologies and HDR to conduct a comprehensive assessment in August 2025. The project used cutting-edge technology, including XK1 — a free-swimming, near-field electromagnetic inspection tool — which travels through the pipe using water flow and collects data continuously along its length. At the end of the pipeline, the device is collected, and the data is extracted and analyzed. Our team also performed a hydraulic assessment to evaluate the pipeline for transients and potential restrictions.

This state-of-the-art inspection, advanced field services and engineering analysis will help the PWD understand the pipe’s current health and identify any necessary actions to improve its long-term reliability.