Sewer divers outclass robots

Humans are used when machines can't manage in Metro Vancouver sewers

When remotely operated robots meet their limit in the city’s sewers, it’s time for a human diver to delve into the complete darkness of Metro Vancouver’s toxic raw sewage.

In an age of human jobs conceding to the efficiency of robots, sewer divers are a rare exception where humans need to do the work. For several years now, Metro Vancouver has started to use humans rather than robots for some sewer inspections and repairs.

Divers tasked with entering the rately as humans making a human sewer diver faster and cheaper.

“Sewer divers can … actually ascertain the defect much better,” he said.

Ryan Anderson, a former diver with 22 years of experience using both robots and human divers, now owns and runs Canpac Marine Services Inc., which occasionally deals with sewer diving.

Diving, like most trade work, is not a job devoid of risk, he explained.

“If you make it over 20 years in this business and you, yourself or someone you know closely hasn’t been injured or killed, it’s pretty rare,” to five people. The sewer-bound diver is fitted with a fully sealed “vulcanized rubber suit,” attached to a dive helmet and air supply. The suit is put to the ultimate leak test when entering the subterranean network of sewer pipes where any opening could mean exposure to diseaseridden sewage.

When the diver emerges from the sewer, Anderson said they must go through a critical three-phase cleaning process to avoid contamination or illness.

“Anything someone flushes down the toilet is going into those reservoirs,” Anderson said.

For now, humans must still go into sewers and do the work necessary, but robotic advancements will only advance and could one day replace sewer divers, according to Anderson.

“In 50 years, the way robotics are going, I’d be surprised if there are lots of manned diving operations going on.”

Left: A contaminated diver for Canpac rine Services SUBMITTED PHOTO

Bottom middle: Bran don Maynard directs the crawler in the sewer from the view of computer screen.

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Middle: A Metro-Van sewer where robots and divers inspect repair. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Top: Trevor Lane finished inspecting sewer for defects that diver may repair.

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Top right: A camera crawler used to videosurvey the sewers.

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Bottom right: Trevor Lane pulls the crawler out of the sewer after an inspection. TY PHOTO