Every ManholeIs a Way In.
Manhole condition inspection coded to NASSCO MACP, documenting structural defects and infiltration at one of the most common, and most overlooked, entry points for groundwater into your collection system.
Definition
What It Is
Manhole inspection is the documented condition assessment of a manhole structure, coded to the NASSCO Manhole Assessment Certification Program (MACP). Where pipe inspection follows the line, manhole inspection evaluates the access structure itself: the frame and cover, chimney, cone, walls, bench, invert, and pipe connections. Each component is assessed for structural defects and for infiltration and inflow (I&I), because deteriorated manholes are one of the largest and most fixable sources of groundwater entering a sanitary sewer system. Components assessed: Frame & Cover · Chimney · Cone · Wall · Bench & Invert · Pipe Connections · I&I Observations.
Signals
When You Need It
- An I&I or SSO reduction program needs every manhole assessed as a potential entry point.
- A regulatory action plan or SSES requires documented manhole condition.
- Surcharging, overflows, or high flows point to infiltration you need to locate and rank.
- A rehabilitation or capital program needs manhole condition grades to prioritize spending.
- New or transferred infrastructure requires baseline or acceptance documentation.
Method
How We Do It
- Step 01
Locate & Access The Structure
We grade the structure, not just glance at it. Each manhole is located and safely accessed before inspection begins.
- Step 02
Inspect Each Component
Pole/zoom camera and/or physical entry per site conditions. Every component, frame, chimney, cone, wall, bench, invert, connections, is documented. [CONFIRM: methods offered.]
- Step 03
Code Defects & I&I Observations To NASSCO MACP
Structural defects and infiltration/inflow observations are coded to the MACP protocol, the industry standard for manhole condition data.
- Step 04
Grade Structural & I&I Condition
MACP coding turns 'that one looks bad' into a ranked, defensible priority list with structural and I&I grades for each structure.
- Step 05
Deliver Coded Report With Prioritized Findings
You receive a coded condition report with prioritized findings ready for rehabilitation scoping, capital planning, or regulatory submittal.
Deliverables
What You Get
- A NASSCO MACP-coded condition report for each inspected structure.
- Structural and I&I condition grades that rank manholes by priority.
- Documented infiltration locations and severity.
- A defensible basis for manhole rehabilitation scope and budget.
- [CONFIRM: deliverable formats, MACP report, photos/video, GIS-ready data, database export.]
Engineering
Capabilities & Specs
- Coding Standard
- NASSCO MACP (Manhole Assessment Certification Program)
- Inspection Method
- [CONFIRM: pole/zoom camera Level 1physical-entry Level 2or both.]
- Operator Certification
- [CONFIRM: operators hold CURRENT NASSCO MACP certification. Do not publish 'certified' unless verified. Company membership is not operator certification.]
- Structure Types
- Sanitary and stormwater manholes. [CONFIRM: also wet wellsjunction structuresvaults.]
- Components Assessed
- Frame & coverchimneyconewallbenchinvertpipe connections
- Confined-Space Capability
- [CONFIRM: crew confined-space certification IF physical entry is offered. Do not imply if not held.]
- Deliverable Formats
- [CONFIRM: coded MACP reportphoto/videodatabase exportGIS-ready.]
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Manhole inspection is the documented condition assessment of a manhole structure, the access shaft that connects the surface to the sewer line. Each component (frame and cover, chimney, cone, walls, bench, invert, pipe connections) is evaluated for structural defects and for infiltration and inflow, and the findings are coded to a standard so they can be ranked and acted on.
NASSCO MACP, the Manhole Assessment Certification Program, is the industry-standard protocol for coding manhole defects. It defines how observations are described, classified, and graded so that condition data from any certified operator can be compared, prioritized, and used as defensible input to a rehabilitation program.
Manholes sit at grade and connect directly to the sewer. Cover holes, frame gaps, chimney cracks, deteriorated mortar, and failing pipe connections each provide a direct path for stormwater and groundwater into the system. Across a collection system, a relatively small number of bad manholes can account for a disproportionate share of total I&I, which is why finding and grading them is one of the highest-ROI moves in any I&I reduction program.
A pole/zoom camera (MACP Level 1) inspects the structure from the surface, fast, safe, and well-suited to programmatic, system-wide assessment. A physical-entry inspection (MACP Level 2) puts a certified crew inside the structure for a closer, more detailed evaluation when conditions warrant it. [CONFIRM: which methods SES offers, do not imply confined-space entry capability unless crews are certified for it.]
MACP coding produces ranked, defensible condition data. That ranking lets the program target the worst structures first, scope rehabilitation accurately, and demonstrate measurable progress against I&I and SSO reduction goals, instead of spreading budget across manholes that don't actually drive the problem.
A NASSCO MACP-coded condition report for each inspected structure, with structural and I&I grades, documented infiltration locations and severity, and prioritized findings you can hand directly to rehabilitation scoping or capital planning. [CONFIRM: deliverable formats, see Capabilities & Specs.]
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