In addition to sewer line robots being used for repair work, a few years ago
someone proposed routing fiber optic cable through the sewer lines into
buildings, thereby saving the time and disruption caused by trenching in
cables in the normal fashion. The cables would be pulled through using
exactly this sort of robot.

I don't know if that business ever got off the ground (or, in this case, got
under the ground) but it certainly was clever.

I know that some cities (London and New York come to mind) had underground
hydraulic power systems that dated back to the late 1800's that were
converted into fiber conduits, but sewer systems are far more ubiquitous.

Jack

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