Case Study: Costa Mesa Sanitary District achieves 60% lower manhole maintenance costs and improved safety with Google Cloud Platform

Costa Mesa Sanitary District Using machine learning (ML) to reduce manhole maintenance costs and boost safety

Costa Mesa Sanitary District, which serves more than 118,000 residents in California, faced a costly and labor-intensive challenge maintaining about 5,000 manholes across 218 street miles. Using Google Cloud Platform, the district needed a smarter way to inspect, rate, and prioritize manhole repairs while improving safety for staff and the public.

Google Cloud Platform, working with SpringML, helped CMSD build a machine learning solution using a GoPro-equipped vehicle, Cloud Storage, Cloud Scheduler, BigQuery, and a web app to detect and assess manhole conditions automatically. The result was a 60% reduction in manhole maintenance costs, saving about $40,000 annually, while requiring only one driver and vehicle plus two staff reviewers; it also improved repair planning, increased inspection frequency, and boosted public safety.

Costa Mesa Sanitary District

Scott Carroll

General Manager