Why waste time arguing about “AI hype,” when you can make it pay? At Trenchless Boss, we’re seeing contractors use AI to move faster, cut rework, train green techs quicker, and win bigger projects with less headache. This article lays it out—no fluff, just numbers, real use cases, and the gear and workflows making it happen.

Why AI matters NOW (and why it’s not just hype)

• The money is real. McKinsey estimates AI could add up to $4.4 trillion in productivity globally, with 0.5–3.4 percentage points of annual productivity growth when paired with automation. (McKinsey & Company)
  
• Water & sewer are in the crosshairs. The AI in water management market hit $7.54B in 2024 and is forecast to reach $53.85B by 2032 (≈28% CAGR). That’s where leak detection, inspection analytics, and predictive maintenance live—the exact stuff trenchless contractors touch every day. (DataM Intelligence)
  
• The trenchless rehab pie is growing. Global trenchless pipe rehab was $4.64B in 2024 and is projected to $6.86B by 2032 (North America leading with 36% share). More dollars → more data → more AI. (Fortune Business Insights)
  
• Labor’s tight; training must accelerate. BLS projects 6% growth for plumbers/pipefitters (2023–2033) and about 43,300 openings/year. Shops that teach faster and document better will win. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  

Bottom line: AI is not a future bet. It’s a lever you can pull now to do more with the crew you’ve got, hit deadlines, and prove value on paper when budgets get scrutinized.

Four AI use cases that already make contractors money

1) AI-assisted CCTV coding (PACP) to eliminate bottlenecks

If you’re still manually coding every frame of CCTV, you’re leaving margin on the table.

• We’re past “trial” mode. Phoenix evaluated five AI vendors on accuracy (PACP), cost, features, and deliverables across 1.7 miles of CCTV. The goal: faster, more consistent defect coding and planning. (Trenchless Technology)
  
• Industry stance: NASSCO’s position acknowledges AI is being used to capture inspection data and code large volumes consistently (while emphasizing QA/QC and operator oversight). Translation: AI is a force multiplier, not a license to skip standards. (NASSCO)
  
• Vendors claim big gains. Platforms like market high detection accuracy and productivity boosts—the exact metrics that crush backlog and unlock bid capacity. (As always, verify in your own pilot.) (sewerai.com, vapar.co)
  

What it means for your shop:

• Shrink turnaround time on inspection deliverables.
  
• Normalize coding across techs and subs.
  
• Convert more raw video into budget-justifying reports your residential, commercial, and municipal clients can act on—fast.
  

2) Predictive maintenance & leak analytics that feed your $ pipeline

Utilities are leaning hard into data to find problems before they blow up.

• Smart wastewater pilots: The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) has piloted smart wastewater analytics—exactly the kind of data backbone AI thrives on. (kando.eco)
  
• Market tailwind: Leak detection systems alone are a multibillion-dollar market (≈$4.17B in 2024, heading toward $5.91B by 2030). Add AI to filter the noise, and you’ve got higher hit rates and fewer dry tests. (TechSci Research)
  
  

Contractor play: Partner with utilities to turn historical CCTV + sensor data into an action list—and position your trenchless crew as the one that fixes the right pipe, at the right time. Get ahead of the game.

3) Faster curing & fewer truck rolls—documented and optimized

UV and UV-LED curing are already high-speed moves in CIPP; AI makes them smarter.

• CIPP is lower impact vs. open cut. Comparative assessments report ~68% less environmental impact and ~62% less resource depletion using CIPP vs. open-cut on small-diameter sanitary sewers—numbers that help you win in environmentally sensitive or traffic-heavy zones. (ResearchGate)
  
• UV/UV-LED advantages: Smaller footprint and streamlined setup vs. hot water/steam; AI-backed planning (shot lists, cure logs, QA) locks in repeatability and proof of performance. (ResearchGate)
  

Contractor play: Build AI-ready workflows—standardize cure logs, temps, and resin batches so your software can flag anomalies before they become callbacks. Integrate AI relaying for real-time data that can be sent directly to the property owner/manager. 

4) Turning green techs into producers faster

• Reality check: Training techs on procedures can take a lot of time and waste valuable man hours in the field. Consider making an AI-driven course that highlights everything your new team members need to know. It’s as easy as entering a detailed prompt into your favorite GPT.
  
• Productivity lift: Construction studies and trade press peg AI-enabled workflows at ~4× faster condition reporting with 95–100% accuracy claims in some contexts (your mileage will vary—pilot before you promise). (Construction Today, Water Finance & Management)
  

Contractor play: Hand your new hires an AI-assisted inspection toolkit and a tight SOP. You’ll spend less time correcting reports and more time lining pipe.

Where the work (and money) is headed

• MSD 2025 Operating Budget: $240.9M approved; 3.75% rate increase effective Jan 1, 2025. That’s an owner with a lot to track and justify—data-driven contractors will stand out. (msdgc.org)
  
• Capital pipeline: $529.7M capital budget (2025) and a multi-year CIP tied to consent-decree wet-weather obligations. Translation: ongoing rehab work where proof, documentation, and performance matter. (msdgc.org)
  
• Analytics mindset: The plumbing sector is in need of better automation and insight—exactly the environment where AI-ready deliverables win. (msdgc.org)
  

If you’re a trenchless contractor, now is the time to develop AI-backed inspection > recommendation > rehab packages that make it painless to green-light projects.

What “AI-ready” looks like on a trenchless crew (playbook)

1) Standardize your data.

• Make compliance non-negotiable. There are no more excuses for avoiding protocol when AI makes short work of the details.
  
• Store CCTV in consistent formats; capture location, diameter, material, install date, resin batch, cure data, reinstatements, and crew notes in one system.
  
• Bonus: Build a “golden set” of labeled defects for your team to easily add to reports.
  
  

2) Wire AI into estimating.

• Use AI-coded inspections to auto-populate bid items (feet of liner by diameter, number of reinstatements, service taps at clock positions, traffic plan needs, resin volume).
  
• Fold in crew productivity stats and cure data to tighten schedules and price confidently.
  

3) Close the loop on quality.

• Require AI-assisted post-cure verification, before/after clips, and automated defect deltas per segment.
  
• Make a habit of exporting client-shareable dashboards; utilities will reuse contractors who hand them hard proof.
  

4) Train the crew, not just the computer.

• AI is a spotter; your operator is still the driver. Keep certifications current, rotate techs through multiple roles, and set up monthly calibration sessions using AI-flagged edge cases. (That’s how you keep your error rate—and your callbacks—down.) (NASSCO)
  

ROI math that gets approved

Here’s a conservative model we see play out:

• Inspection throughput: If AI doubles effective field productivity on CCTV (a common vendor claim), a two-person crew producing 1,000 ft/day goes to ~2,000 ft/day. Even if your real-world gain is only +50%, that’s 500 extra ft/day—paid work that used to be lost.
  
• Coding/QC time: Automated first-pass coding that’s 80–90% accurate saves 1–2 hours per 1,000 ft on desk time (still requires human review). Across 200k ft/year, that’s 200–400 labor hours that can go back into operations. (Trenchless Technology, NASSCO)
  
• Bid conversion: Clear, fast reports help owners commit. With some managing nine-figure budgets and public transparency, speed + proof is a differentiator. (msdgc.org)
  

Payback window: For a small outfit spending, say, $20k–$60k on AI-assisted inspection software and workflow integration in year one, reclaiming 200+ hours and adding even one extra mid-size lateral/segment rehab per month can clear payback in months, not years. (Your numbers will vary—test on one crew first.)

Safety, emissions, and environmental benefits—yes, they matter (and they sell)

• CIPP’s environmental profile beats open-cut on key impact categories—data you can put in the proposal to help owners win internal approvals. (ResearchGate)
  
• UV/UV-LED cure’s smaller footprint reduces impact. Track and visualize that with AI-assisted planning to show customers you care about their property.

Be the contractor who quantifies impacts and gets remembered. (msdgc.org)

Common objections (and straight answers)

“AI will replace my guys.”
No. We don’t see that happening. In fact, trenchless pipe repair will always need human handling.  NASSCO’s position paper underscores that AI supports data capture and coding. Use AI as a coach and speed tool, not a crutch. (NASSCO)

“Accuracy claims sound inflated.”
AI has proven to be reliable in areas where human error is prevalent. (Trenchless Technology)

“My clients don’t care about AI.”
They care about fewer overflows, fewer change orders, and cleaner reports. AI just helps you deliver those outcomes faster and prove it with data—especially to public owners publishing dashboards and consent-decree progress. (msdgc.org)

Gear & workflow checklist to get started (Trenchless Boss way)

1. Inspection stack-give your team and customers data they can rely on.
   

• CCTV system + cloud storage with consistent metadata.
  
• AI-assisted coding platform.
  

2. Rehab stack
   

• Inversion gear, UV/UV-LED systems, and equipment with digital logs (cure profiles, resin lots, reinstatements).
  

3. Data & proof
   

• Dashboards that tie footage → defects → repair method → cure data → after video.
  
• Export owner-friendly summaries (segments, cost bands, impacts, ESG deltas).
  

4. People
   

• Cross-train your best tech as your quality control lead; use AI to help facilitate cases for monthly calibration.
  
• Keep local and state certifications current and sync SOPs 

The opportunity is right here, right now

• Plans for plumbing infrastructure rehab mean steady demand and a premium on documented performance. Bring AI-backed inspection and transparency and you’ll stand out from low-bid commodity players. (msdgc.org)
  
• Regional/state funds and federal programs continue to back water/wastewater work—monitor county notices and be ready with data-driven proposals. (Examples: Ohio EPA, development.ohio.gov)
  

The Trenchless Boss promise

We outfit crews to win in the real world—cameras, UV/UV-LED CIPP systems, robotic cutters, resins, training, and AI-ready workflow to tie it all together. You bring the grit; we bring the gear, the playbook, and the proof.

Ready to pilot AI in your trenchless pipe repair?

• We’ll help future-proof your systems for the AI-driven world
  

Plumbers by trade; trenchless by choice.

Sources (selected)

• McKinsey on AI productivity and adoption. (McKinsey & Company)
  
• AI in Water Management market sizing. (DataM Intelligence)
  
• Trenchless pipe rehab market outlook. (Fortune Business Insights)
  
• BLS plumbing employment outlook. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  
• Phoenix AI sewer assessment pilot. (Trenchless Technology)
  
• NASSCO AI position & PACP context. (NASSCO)
  
• MSD Cincinnati budget, rate, capital plan, analytics use. (msdgc.org)
  
• CIPP vs. open-cut environmental impact. (ResearchGate)