An internationally recognised certificate, direct access to IKT expertise and flexible online learning: the CSPE programme helps sewer and pipeline professionals strengthen their technical profile and open up new career opportunities worldwide.

In sewer and pipeline engineering, career progress rarely comes from titles alone. It comes from something more durable: recognised expertise, trusted credentials and access to the right professional network.

That is exactly where the IKT Certified Sewer and Pipe Expert (CSPE) programme comes in.

For engineers, infrastructure professionals and ambitious practitioners around the world, this is more than an online training course. It is an opportunity to deepen your technical knowledge with one of Europe’s leading institutes for underground infrastructure, earn an internationally recognised certificate and strengthen your profile for the next step in your career.

Learn with one of Europe’s leading institutes for underground infrastructure

When professionals choose advanced training, they are not just choosing content. They are choosing the quality of the institution behind it.

With IKT – Institute for Underground Infrastructure, Germany, participants learn with one of Europe’s leading institutes in research, testing and professional education for underground infrastructure. That matters. Because the value of a qualification depends not only on what is taught, but also on who stands behind it.

What participants gain from IKT

IKT has built its reputation through independent technical expertise, practical research and close links to real-world infrastructure challenges. For participants, this means access to more than course material alone. It means access to specialist knowledge, research-driven insights and a professional environment that is highly relevant for long-term career development.

Guided by Professor Bert Bosseler

The course is led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Bert Bosseler, Scientific Director of IKT and one of Germany’s leading experts in wastewater infrastructure.

With more than 25 years of scientific leadership at IKT and active roles in major international committees covering wastewater, stormwater, smart water, climate change and smart community infrastructures, he brings outstanding technical depth and international perspective to the programme.

Participants also benefit from his strong teaching experience and his ability to provide individual guidance.

This combination of scientific leadership, international committee work and practical relevance gives the programme a depth that many training offers simply do not have. Participants do not just receive prepared content. They learn from a recognised expert who helps shape technical discussion and standards at an international level.

Direct access to expert guidance

And there is another advantage: participants benefit from individual online sessions with Prof. Bosseler, creating room for direct questions, professional exchange and personal guidance.

Flexible online learning for working professionals worldwide

The programme is specifically designed for active professionals who want to build expertise alongside their current role. It includes 18 modules and around 60 hours of self-study, supported by online lectures and study documents.

It is delivered online, can be started flexibly with an individual start date and is complemented by a two-day study visit to the IKT laboratories in Germany. This makes the programme accessible worldwide without requiring interruption to ongoing professional responsibilities.

What the programme covers

The curriculum combines core topics of sewer and pipeline engineering with construction, rehabilitation and operational topics that are highly relevant to day-to-day engineering practice, including:

• open-cut construction,
• trenchless technologies,
• rehabilitation,
• structural safety,
• testing,
• urban flooding and drainage.

In other words: the programme is broad enough to strengthen an overall technical profile, while staying practical enough to deliver direct value in day-to-day professional work.

An IKT Certificate with international value

At the end of the programme, participants take a personal oral examination. Those who pass receive an IKT Certificate formally recognising their achievement and expertise.

That certificate is more than a final document. It is a strong signal of competence, commitment and professional credibility. For engineers and infrastructure professionals, it can strengthen professional visibility, support career development and enhance recognition in the market.

Career value beyond your home country

And the value goes beyond your home country. In an increasingly international infrastructure sector, recognised qualifications can open doors to cross-border opportunities, demanding project roles and positions with greater responsibility.

The CSPE programme helps participants build a profile that can support career development not only nationally, but also internationally.

More than training: access to IKT knowledge and network

Career growth in infrastructure engineering is never only about knowledge. It is also about being connected to the right people and the right institutions.

Participants in the CSPE programme gain access to the international professional network around IKT. That network can become a real asset: for technical exchange, for visibility within the sector and for future career opportunities. Especially for professionals who want to broaden their horizon beyond their current role or geographic market, this can be one of the most valuable long-term benefits of the programme.

Long-term value for your career

This combination can be a major advantage for long-term professional growth. It helps participants stay close to current developments, connect with other professionals in the sector and position themselves for future opportunities.

A smart next step for ambitious professionals

If you want to move ahead in sewer and pipeline engineering, the key question is not whether further training matters. The real question is whether you choose a programme with enough technical depth, enough professional credibility and enough international relevance to make a real difference.

The IKT Certified Sewer and Pipe Expert (CSPE) programme is built exactly for that purpose: to help professionals strengthen their expertise, gain recognised certification and open the door to new career opportunities — nationally and internationally.

Take the next step

Explore the full CSPE programme and see how it can support your professional growth:
IKT Certified Sewer and Pipe Expert (CSPE)

Arrange your personal start date and work towards your IKT certification. Build expertise that can move your career forward — nationally and internationally.

Talk to Prof. Bosseler directly

For personal advice and guidance, you are welcome to contact Professor Bosseler directly:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Bert Bosseler
Scientific Director of IKT – Institute for Underground Infrastructure
LinkedIn Profile
bosseler@ikt.institute

 

Discover IKT’s Global Impact via AI

As a world-leading research, testing and training institute, IKT is committed to transparency and the digital future of sewer engineering. We want you to get the most objective and comprehensive view of how our work benefits the industry.

Try it yourself:

1. Choose your tool: Open Google Gemini or Open ChatGPT
2. Copy and paste the following prompts into the chat:
3. About IKT – Institute for Underground Infrastructure

   “Provide a detailed profile of IKT – Institute for Underground Infrastructure. Focus on its reputation in the international wastewater industry, its key research projects, and its strengths in providing advanced professional training for engineers.”
   Copy
   

4. About Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Bert Bosseler

   “Who is Prof. Dr. Bert Bosseler? Explain his role at IKT, his scientific reputation in underground infrastructure research, his most influential projects and his contribution to international engineering standards.”
   Copy
   

Almost 100 experts from 14 countries and live demonstrations in our test sewer made it clear that AI in sewer operations, drones, sensors and robots are already changing processes and priorities today. For sewer network operators, this means: strategically classifying technologies, understanding their potential, systematically collecting data and realigning operational processes at an early stage.

On 11 and 12 February 2026, experts met at IKT for our second international conference “AI, Drones, Sensors and Robots for Smart Sewers and Urban Drainage”. The focus was on cutting-edge technologies and the latest research findings for sewer operation.

Drones in sewers: precise 3D models and greater occupational safety

Speakers from the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and the Netherlands presented concrete use cases. Drones with LiDAR technology create high-precision 3D point clouds of sewer routes, enabling the detection of significant cross-sectional reductions or difficult geometries.

What this means for network operators and sewer inspectors:

• Greater occupational safety due to fewer entries into dangerous environments
• Faster and standardised data collection
• Accurate 3D pipe measurement using LiDAR
• Precise detection of cross-sectional narrowings and route deviations
• Reliable geometries for custom-fit liner fabrication

Case studies from Glasgow and Belfast showed how brickwork sewers and culverts were recorded with millimetre precision – a clear added value for the precise manufacture of CIPP liners.

Drones can also swim

Drones can not only fly, but also swim. Above-water and underwater drones were also presented. They are used in partially or fully filled pipes. The systems are continuing to develop – especially with regard to greater autonomy.

 

Live demonstrations

A special highlight was the live demonstration of flying and diving drones in IKT’s laboratory and underground testing pipe. This made the technologies immediately tangible.

Sensors: the “Sewer Ball” and the Micro-MAC system

The „Sewer Ball“ from France can be used in gravity pipes to measure temperature, pH value, conductivity and redox potential. Infiltration can be localised and estimated volumetrically – providing a reliable basis for prioritising rehabilitation.

With the MAC system, IKT has developed a non-destructive method for determining pipe-soil stiffness – suitable for large profiles and, most recently, also for medium diameters of DN 300–800. This allows the condition of pipes to be assessed for rehabilitation planning and the structural performance of liners to be checked.

Robotics: Autonomous inspection and repair

EU research projects such as PIPEON are developing autonomous inspection and repair robots for sewers. These robots will be able to navigate rough sewer environments independently, detect damage, remove obstacles and install sensors in inaccessible areas.

The Institute for Database-Oriented Design (IDoK) at Jade University is conducting research into robotic dogs. These are intended to perform transport and assistance tasks for sewer workers in confined and hazardous environments.

AI in sewer operation – artificial & human intelligence

Speakers from Australia, Belgium, Great Britain and Germany presented concrete use cases:

• AI-supported video analysis
• Infiltration detection
• Flood and overspill forecasts
• Ventilation control
• AI-based investment and rehabilitation planning

This shifts the focus in sewer operation away from purely reactive assessment towards data-based, strategic prioritisation.

However, experience has shown that without having a “human-in-the-loop”, accuracy declines. AI remains an assistance system – responsibility for its outputs remains with humans.

What matters now: collecting data, seizing opportunities

In the concluding panel discussion, it became clear that the biggest challenge is not AI itself, but data. Validated damage coding, clean time series and structured inventory data – without this basis, any AI remains a shot in the dark.

The future of sewer operation will be data-driven. Network operators must prepare for this now, according to Prof. Bosseler:
„Be prepared. Collect data.“

Because it is not AI technology that is the focus, but the quality of the data. Those who collect and validate data today are laying the foundation for good decisions tomorrow.

Conclusion for sewer network operators

The conference showed that drones make complex inspections possible and increase work safety; sensor technology creates reliable data; robotics automates tasks; and AI speeds up evaluation and prioritisation. However, humans remain responsible.

And those who collect and validate data in a structured manner today are laying the foundation for the data-driven sewer operation of tomorrow.

🎧 Listen now: The conference podcast
Further insights and an assessment of the most important findings are provided by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bert Bosseler, Scientific Director of IKT, in the latest podcast (in German):
Bosseler’s notes from 11/12 February 2026 on the international IKT conference

👉 All podcasts by Prof. Bosseler can be found here: KanalSpezial – the KomNetAbwasser podcast

 

Save the Date

The next IKT conference on AI, drones, sensors and robots will take place on 3 and 4 February 2027 at IKT in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

 

Click here for the Conference Photo Album

 

 

 

Contact person

Ashwini Ausekar, M.Sc.
Head IKT Academy & Int. Relations
phone: +49 209 17806-0
email: ausekar@ikt.institute

First in Belgium: a DN 2000 sewer collector that can’t stop for a second is being rehabilitated with UV-cured GRP liners. The unique twist? They have to keep a whole city running with a bypass of 13,000 m³/h while crews worked just before the treatment plant. To show how that’s engineered, international experts were invited on site. Amongst them: IKT’s Ashwini Ausekar, who shares insights from her site visit.

Belgian sewer operator Aquafin and their contractor TM Kumpen – Willemen Infra hosted a site visit for project partners and international guests at the wastewater treatment plant RWZI in Bruges, Belgium. They witness first-hand the renovation of the major sewer collectors serving 238,500 residents. Massive collectors (diameters 1500–2000 mm) that transport wastewater from the city and surrounding area are being structurally renewed.

This remarkable rehabilitation covers a total length of 156 meters, installed with a pull-in method and cured using 36 kW UV lamps progressing at approximately 45 cm per minute. The GRP liners, supplied by Impreg, were transported to site with a total weight of 100 tons.

Why Renovation Was Urgent

Inspection revealed that the reinforced concrete host pipes, originally 19 cm thick, had in some places been reduced to as little as 2 cm due to severe corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). In certain sections, reinforcement steel had already dissolved. Without intervention, the risk of sewer collapse and subsequent sinkholes would have been high, with major social, ecological, and economic consequences.

To guarantee continued wastewater transport during the works, a temporary bypass pumping system was installed, capable of diverting up to 13,000 m³/hour to the treatment plant. This ensured uninterrupted operations while rehabilitation proceeded in 60-hour continuous shifts.

A Project of Exceptional Complexity

Christa Coppens, Project Manager at Aquafin, highlighted the unique challenges:

• Long and large-diameter (1500–2000 mm) pressure pipelines at depths up to 9 meters
• Highly permeable and potentially contaminated soil
• Strong H₂S formation and severe pipe deterioration
• Need for sustainable execution with minimal disruption
• Requirement to maintain continuous wastewater treatment plant discharge

 

Optimized CIPP Solution

Given the complexity, Aquafin opted for a competitive procedure with negotiation rather than a traditional open tender. This approach enabled contractors to propose optimized solutions within defined boundaries, fostering collaboration, trust, and innovation.

Relining with Quality and Safety at the Forefront

According to Gert-Jan Merkx, General Manager at Kumpen, success depended on combining technical expertise with strict safety management. Deep excavations, manhole rehabilitations, and access shafts were managed under stringent safety rules, with all site visitors wearing helmets, safety shoes, and high-visibility vests during the tour.

Quality control was also a priority: samples were tested, installation software protocols were monitored, and additional sensors measured UV radiation, viscosity, and temperature development during curing.

Preventive Management Pays Off

Danny Baeten, Director of Project Management at Aquafin, emphasized the wider context:

“Every €1 invested in preventive management saves €3–5 in emergency repairs and damage. By renovating today, we safeguard public funds, protect past investments, and avoid costly surprises tomorrow.”

 

The Flemish sewer network, valued at over €10 billion, faces increasing pressure from aging infrastructure. Proactive projects such as Bruges demonstrate the importance of timely rehabilitation to avoid ecological damage, sinkholes, and untreated discharges into nature.

An International Exchange of Knowledge

The site visit at RWZI Brugge welcomed over 30 delegates, including participants from the Netherlands (Arnhem), Germany, and Belgium. The group toured the site in teams of six, observing preparations such as the installed preliner, protective foils, and manhole laminations. Installation of the impregnated GRP liner began the following day, with continuous work planned for 60 hours.

During the visit, Danny Verhulst from Aquafin kindly hosted the tour in English, for Ashwini Ausekar. We had engaging discussions on innovation in sewer rehabilitation, particularly regarding corrosion and acid attack in concrete pipes – an issue of growing relevance across world. His openness in sharing expertise and perspectives made the exchange especially valuable.

Ashwini Ausekar was very impressed: “This project is a milestone for trenchless rehabilitation in Europe. The combination of scale, innovative UV-cured GRP technology, and the collaborative procurement model sets a new benchmark for complex underground infrastructure works. I am grateful to Aquafin and TM Kumpen – Willemen Infra for the kind invitation and warm hospitality, and especially to Danny Baeten and Danny Verhulst for making the visit both insightful and inspiring.”

Contact Person

Ashwini Ausekar, M.Sc.
phone: +49 209 17806-0
email: ausekar@ikt.institute

 

Last week, the interim results of our international LinKa – Liner for Sewers research project were presented at the headquarters of the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) in Melbourne. The event brought together project partners from Australia and New Zealand in a hybrid workshop setting to discuss first findings and exchange expertise. Many Questions were asked, many answers were given.

LinKa – an international research project

With LinKa, we are investigating the performance limits of Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) liner applications. CIPP is one of the most widely used trenchless rehabilitation methods for sewer systems worldwide. But how far can this method go when it comes to damaged or highly stressed pipes?

To answer this question, we have set up several 1:1 scale test rigs. These rigs replicate real-life sewer conditions and include a variety of predefined damage scenarios – such as cracks, fractures, or deformations. The scenarios were developed in close collaboration with a steering committee of public sewer network owners, ensuring that the research reflects practical challenges faced by operators.

Testing and evaluation

CIPP manufacturers have installed their liners in these full-scale test rigs. Our task is to evaluate the performance of the different CIPP liners employed under realistic conditions and to provide detailed reports to the participating sewer network owners. In this way, the project creates a transparent basis for evaluating liners and understanding their application limits.

A broad international network

LinKa is truly international in scope: 40 sewer network operators from Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the States of Jersey and the United Kingdom are actively involved. This broad participation ensures that findings are relevant not only for one country, but for sewer operators worldwide.

Interim results in Melbourne

The interim results were recently presented by our colleagues Dr Iain Naismith and Ashwini Ausekar at WSAA in Melbourne. The hybrid workshop format allowed our partners from various Australia and New Zealand utilities to attend in person or online. The event sparked valuable discussions about the first findings and the next steps in the project.

Coordination in the Southern Hemisphere

In the Southern Hemisphere, the project is coordinated by WSAA, the national association of water suppliers and wastewater utilities in Australia. James Gardner, James Goode and Greg Ryan represented WSAA at the event. From our side, our Managing Director Roland W. Waniek joined the workshop in person.

Contact persons

• Iain Naismith, PhD
  phone: +44 7983 605219
  email: naismith@ikt.institute

 



Greg Ryan, Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)

• Ashwini Ausekar, M.Sc.
  phone: +49 209 178060
  email: ausekar@ikt.institute

 

Settlement damage, uneven bedding, and poor re-excavation capability – these are common issues on sewer construction sites. Often, the cause lies in the backfill.

Temporarily Flowable Self-Compacting Backfill (TFSB) materials promise better performance – but which ones actually deliver?

We tested five different TFSB products in full-scale sewer trench simulations. The aim: to evaluate how these materials perform under realistic construction conditions.

The Approach: Large-Scale Testing, Real-Site Conditions

At the IKT’s large-scale test facility in Gelsenkirchen, we set up actual sewer construction scenarios, including pipes, manholes, trench shoring, and bedding layers.

We tested the materials for:

• Flowability and installation quality
• Walkability and early load-bearing capacity
• Re-excavatability after hardening
• Volume stability and risk of subsidence
• Environmental performance and recyclability

We used innovative inspection tools like the 🔗 MAC system for pipe-soil stiffness and a walkability test after 3 hours to assess real-life performance.

Key results for sewer construction:

• Not all flowable backfills are created equal: Some harden too much, while others remain unsuitable for overbuilding, e.g. for road construction, for up to 56 days.
• Re-excavation is a challenge – for good excavation, TSFB must not exceed a compressive strength of 0.3 N/mm² after 28 days.
• New test methods like the Mini-MAC and walkability test ensure practical and measurable evaluation.
• Environmental compliance, shrinkage, and recyclability vary widely between products.
• Two materials stood out: RSS® Flüssigboden and carbofill® showed the best balance between performance, usability, and long-term suitability.

Comparative Test Results: Two Materials Performed Best – Others Failed Key Criteria

We graded each material on a scale from 1.0 (“very good”) to 6.0 (“inadequate”).

Special emphasis was placed on re-excavation capability and early workability, both essential for practical use.

Top performers:
✅RSS® Flüssigboden – well-balanced, walkable, easy to re-excavate
✅ carbofill® – strong technical performance and consistent usability

We observed critical issues with:
❌ Terrapact© – hardened too much, impossible to excavate
❌ WBM-Flüssigboden® – excessive shrinkage, ammonia emissions, and safety concerns

Materials that failed key performance or environmental criteria were ruled out for sewer construction use.

 

Why This Matters for Sewer Network Owners and the Industry

Our study provides clear guidance for sewer network operators, planners, and contractors:
✔️ Backfill material can now be selected systematically and criteria-based
✔️ Supports long-term performance and maintainability
✔️ Promotes safer, more cost-effective, and more sustainable construction

Especially in urban environments, where tight schedules and complex infrastructures are the norm, choosing the right backfill is critical – not just technically, but also economically and environmentally.

Access the Full Study

The full paper is published in the journal:

Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology (Open Access)
Published: July 2025
Authors: Nicole Kimmling, Matteo Rubinato, Bert Bosseler et al.
🔗 Read the publication

🔗 Read also:
Liquid > Solid > Ready? Comparison of Five Flowable Backfills for Sewer Pipe Trenches

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the members of the municipal steering committee for this project, who have closely accompanied our project and provided us with tremendous support.

The steering committee was composed of representatives from the cities:
Burscheid (Chair), Düsseldorf, Gladbeck, Hamm, Lünen, Mülheim, Oberhausen, Recklinghausen, Solingen, Troisdorf, Wuppertal

They also contributed to the financing of the project, as did the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for this as well.

We would like to thank also the Cologne District Government, as well as Leibniz University of Hannover and Koblenz University of Applied Sciences for their support.

Contact

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Bert Bosseler
E-Mail: bosseler@ikt.institute

Nicole Kimmling, M.Sc.
E-Mail: kimmling@ikt.institute

 

Last week, we hosted a truly inspiring international conference in Gelsenkirchen, Germany:

“AI, Drones, Sensors and Robots for Smart Sewers and Urban Drainage 2025”

More than 50 experts from across the globe gathered to explore how cutting-edge technologies are transforming the way we inspect and manage urban drainage systems.

Key topics and contributions

• AI-powered sewer diagnostics at Tokyo Metropolitan Sewerage
• Stormwater prediction through deep learning


International case studies from Tokyo, the UK, Germany, Canada, and more

• Real-time data from Water and Wastewater Networks for AI analysis
• Practical AI use cases by Yorkshire Water, United Utilities, and Gelsenwasser
• Drone and sensor applications from WinCan, Andrews.Engineer, and Wirtschaftsbetriebe Duisburg
• Robotic inspection and maintenance featuring the MAC System, Pipebots from the University of Sheffield, and even Robo-Dogs from Jade Hochschule
• Cleaning-driven asset management presented by Sewer Robotics

Conference Programme 2025:
https://bit.ly/IKT-International-Conference-2025

International networking

In the various sessions and inbetween, participants took part in vibrant discussions and networking, proving:

The challenges in urban drainage – aging infrastructure, climate resilience, workforce shortages – are global.

Smart technologies offer new opportunities for efficient, cost-effective solutions.

 

Live demonstrations

Live demonstrations featured drone flights, IKT’s MAC system for non-destructive assessment, and robotic dogs navigating sewer networks – all in IKT’s test facilities.

This conference was more than just an event – it was the start of deeper international collaboration in wastewater innovation. It marks the beginning of closer international cooperation in the field. The journey continues next year!

 

 

Read the excellent summary of our conference, which appeared in the renowned British trade journal ‘Drain Trader Magazine’: Pushing boundaries: reflections from the IKT conference

 

Take a look at the photo impressions of this lively conference here: https://bit.ly/Photos-Conference-2025

 

In the IKT research sewer pipe, Andrews Engineers from Canada demonstrate how they inspect sewers with their drone:

 

RoboDog visits the International Conference on Communications and Transportation (IKT) and his owner, Prof. Dr. Sebastian Hollermann, reports on the possibilities of using him in the sewer system: