A systematic review of service reliability in urban sewer systems : from failure analysis to preventive management

Abstract

Urban sewer infrastructure plays a vital role in maintaining public health and environmental quality, yet these systems increasingly experience service interruptions that can paralyze city operations. This review t examines sewer system service failure through six interconnected dimensions: failure modes, contributing factors, detection approaches, impacts, prevention strategies, and emerging technologies. Through extensive analysis of existing research, the study identifies four primary types of service failure modes: blockage, overflow, infiltration, and odor emission. Based on these findings, the relationships between various contributing factors and specific failure modes have been systematically organized and analyzed. The synthesis then comprehensively evaluates current detection methods, ranging from physical inspections to chemical monitoring, while thoroughly assessing the economic, social, and environmental impacts of system failures on communities. Building on this comprehensive analysis, the study proposes targeted preventive measures for each failure type and explores emerging technologies that could help predict and minimize system disruptions. Additionally, it identifies critical research gaps and future directions for investigation. By integrating multi-disciplinary expertise, this review provides a comprehensive knowledge synthesis for analyzing sewer pipe service failure while offering practical guidance for prevention and control measures.