Customer Testimonial: Mike Ingham, CSO at HK Solutions Group
Mike Ingham, Chief Strategy Officer at HK Solutions Group, shares how the company became the first contractor in the world to assess 500 miles of pipelines using SewerAI's AutoCode AI technology, and why they chose SewerAI as their strategic AI partner.
HK Solutions Group is one of the most respected names in trenchless services and technologies across the United States. Operating from more than 10 offices and deploying a fleet of over 20 CCTV inspection crews, the company delivers a comprehensive range of sewer assessment, rehabilitation, and infrastructure services to municipalities and utilities nationwide. In this testimonial, Mike Ingham, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at HK Solutions Group, sits down to share how partnering with SewerAI and adopting AutoCode AI computer vision technology has transformed the way HK Solutions operates — and why the company has no plans to slow down.
Why HK Solutions Chose SewerAI
For a company operating at the scale of HK Solutions Group, the decision to adopt a new technology platform is never taken lightly. With dozens of CCTV inspection crews in the field every day, any change to the assessment workflow has to deliver measurable, repeatable results — not just in a pilot environment, but across the full breadth of operations.
Mike Ingham explains that HK Solutions evaluated the AI-assisted coding landscape carefully before selecting SewerAI as their strategic partner. What set SewerAI apart was the combination of AutoCode's proven accuracy in NASSCO PACP condition assessment, the depth of the SewerAI team's domain expertise, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement. SewerAI wasn't simply offering a software product — they were offering a long-term partnership built around the specific needs of sewer services contractors.
A World-First Milestone: 500 Miles of AI-Assessed Pipelines
Since integrating AutoCode into their CCTV inspection operations, HK Solutions Group has achieved a landmark that no other sewer services contractor in the world has reached: the assessment of 500 miles of pipelines using AI computer vision technology.
This milestone is more than a number. It represents hundreds of thousands of individual defect observations, coded and validated at a speed and consistency that would be impossible to achieve through manual review alone. It demonstrates that AI-assisted assessment is not a future concept — it is a proven, production-ready capability that is already reshaping how leading contractors deliver value to their clients.
For HK Solutions, reaching this milestone also signals something important to the broader market: that the company is at the forefront of innovation in sewer infrastructure services, and that their clients can expect the highest standard of data quality and delivery efficiency.
Productivity Gains and Cost Reduction in the Field
One of the most immediate and tangible benefits HK Solutions experienced after deploying AutoCode was a significant increase in field productivity. By automating the time-intensive process of NASSCO PACP condition coding, AutoCode allows HK Solutions' crews to process more footage in less time — without sacrificing the accuracy that clients and regulators demand.
The productivity improvements translate directly into cost savings. With AutoCode handling the bulk of the coding workload, HK Solutions can allocate their skilled technicians to higher-value tasks, reduce turnaround times on deliverables, and take on greater volumes of work without proportionally increasing overhead. For a company with more than 20 CCTV inspection crews in the field, even incremental efficiency gains at the crew level compound into substantial operational advantages.
Accuracy and Consistency in NASSCO PACP Deliverables
Beyond speed, accuracy is the cornerstone of any credible sewer assessment program. Municipalities and utilities rely on NASSCO PACP condition assessment data to make critical capital planning decisions — decisions that can involve millions of dollars in rehabilitation and replacement investments. Inconsistent or inaccurate coding undermines the integrity of those decisions.
Mike Ingham highlights that AutoCode has meaningfully improved the accuracy and consistency of HK Solutions' PACP deliverables. The AI model applies the same coding logic uniformly across every foot of footage, eliminating the variability that can arise from differences in individual technician experience, fatigue, or interpretation. The result is a higher-quality data product that clients can trust — and that stands up to independent audit.
Complementing a Broader Service Offering
HK Solutions Group's capabilities extend well beyond CCTV pipe inspection. The company is also a leader in manhole inspection and rehabilitation, offering their proprietary Monoform technology as a proven solution for restoring deteriorated manhole infrastructure. AutoCode's integration into HK Solutions' operations complements this broader service portfolio by ensuring that the data layer underpinning all assessment work — whether for pipes or manholes — meets the same high standard of quality and consistency.
This holistic approach to infrastructure assessment and rehabilitation positions HK Solutions as a true full-service partner for their clients — one that can assess the condition of an entire sewer system, recommend the right rehabilitation strategy, and execute the work with proven technologies.
A Strategic Partnership Built for Growth
The relationship between HK Solutions Group and SewerAI is not a vendor-customer transaction — it is a strategic partnership. Both organizations are aligned on a shared vision: to use AI and computer vision technology to raise the standard of sewer infrastructure assessment across the industry, and to help contractors and utilities make better decisions with better data.
Mike Ingham describes the SewerAI team as responsive, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in HK Solutions' success. As the partnership continues to evolve, both companies are exploring new opportunities to expand the use of AutoCode across additional service lines and geographies — with the goal of continuing to push the boundaries of what AI-assisted assessment can achieve at scale.
Mike Ingham's Recommendation to Contractors and Utilities
When asked whether he would recommend SewerAI to other contractors and utilities, Mike Ingham's answer is unequivocal. For any organization that is serious about improving the quality and efficiency of their sewer assessment operations, AutoCode represents a compelling and proven solution. The technology works, the team behind it is exceptional, and the results speak for themselves.
HK Solutions Group's journey — from early adopter to the world's first contractor to assess 500 miles of pipelines with AI — is a testament to what is possible when a forward-thinking organization embraces the right technology at the right time. As the sewer infrastructure industry continues to evolve, HK Solutions and SewerAI are well-positioned to lead the way.
Watch the Full Testimonial
Watch the approximately 5-minute video testimonial with Mike Ingham on YouTube to hear directly from HK Solutions Group's Chief Strategy Officer about the impact SewerAI's AutoCode technology has had on their business — and what the future of AI-assisted sewer assessment looks like for one of the industry's most innovative contractors.
