Water Main Visibility Starts Here

Many utilities plan million-dollar infrastructure projects with limited visibility into actual pipe conditions. Motmot changes that. Our J-Series robot launches through existing fire hydrants to investigate the condition of live, pressurized pipe and collect data without excavation.

Explore Leasing

See How It Works

Field deployments across the midwest and beyond

Your Toolbox Just Got Happier

Lease the J-Series for self-deployment and put water main inspection in your crew’s hands. Lower inspection costs, eliminate mobilization charges, and decide when, where, and how often to investigate.

Lower Investigation Costs

Get more value from your lease with every inspection.

No Mobilization Charges

Put your budget toward inspections instead of crew travel.

Investigate on Your Terms

Check concerns and revisit findings on your schedule.

Keep Water Service Running

Inspect through your own hydrants without excavation or service disruption.

The J-Series at a Glance

Range depends on the pipe, flow, access, and site conditions.

Up to 1,800 ft

Up to 900 feet in either direction from one hydrant.

6-inch and larger pipe

For distribution and transmission mains. We confirm your pipe and hydrant are a fit before you deploy.

0 robots lost. 0 robots stuck.

A tether keeps the robot connected to your crew on every run.

Joint detected

No tuberculation, low risk segment

CAST IRON

REVIEW

Investigate Before You Replace

Pipe age and drawings help you plan. Seeing inside the pipe helps you decide what needs work. With the J-Series on hand, your crew can check a concern and come back for a closer look.

Use what you find to guide repairs, or check a planned replacement before committing to construction.

More Than Leak Detection. More Than Inspection.

Check Pipe Condition

Look for buildup, damaged joints, valve health, and blockages. Use what you find to plan maintenance and repairs.

Check Your Maps and Records

Compare what's inside the pipe with your maps and drawings. Use the findings to verify pipe routes and fittings, and update your GIS when something doesn't match.

Investigate Low Pressure  or a Suspected Leak

Look inside the main to narrow down a flow or pressure problem.  Video and sensor data can guide your next field check.

Plan Repairs and Replacement

Check the pipe before design and bid documents are final. Give your utility and engineer a clearer picture of where work is needed.

How Self- Deployment Works

Lease the J-Series

Choose a lease for your utility. We help confirm your water main and hydrant access are a fit.

Train  Your Crew

Motmot trains your team to set up, deploy, and retrieve the robot. Your crew runs the investigation, with support from Motmot.

Investigate on Your Schedule

Your crew launches through an approved hydrant and collects video and sensor data. Investigate as often as you need, with no mobilization charge for each visit.

Review the Findings

Motmot cleans your investigation data and loads it into your dashboard. Use the findings to plan repairs, update records, or take a closer look.

Motmot in the Field

Field Projects Across Michigan & Beyond

Detroit

Investigation of a new ductile iron water main for DWSD before it entered service.

Fenton

Investigation of a cast iron supply line serving city water infrastructure.

Sault Ste. Marie

Investigation inside a 36-inch cast iron intake built in 1902.

Adrian

Investigation of a 30-inch clarifier pipe at the water treatment plant.

Featured Case Studies

Michigan Public High School

Valve corrections that avoided a $1.5 million main replacement

City of Sault Ste. Marie

Inspecting the health of community water infrastructure

City of Adrian Utilities Department

Informing water treatment plant planning

Construction workers in yellow safety vests and helmets working and communicating at an outdoor urban worksite.

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD)

Historic city gets fresh perspective

Two construction workers wearing white hard hats and safety vests looking at a laptop outdoors near a ladder.

City of Fenton, Water Department

See how we have helped a city understand its pipe health

We had taken the above-ground investigation as far as it could go. Resolving the remaining unknowns required direct visibility inside the pipe, and Motmot’s tool gave us exactly that. With that insight, we were able to pinpoint the problem, avoid significant replacement, and reduce our client’s capital costs by 75%.

Nick Brass, PE

Spalding DeDecker

Like many communities, Wyoming is continuously working to maintain and improve our water distribution system, ensuring safe and reliable service for our residents and businesses. One of the greatest challenges we face is understanding what’s happening beneath our streets without costly and disruptive excavation.

Jaime Flemming

Wyoming, MI

Motmot represents the kind of visionary, impact-driven startup we’re proud to support at AquaAction. Their approach to water infrastructure is addressing real municipal challenges with technology that’s grounded in research and ready for deployment. We were thrilled to see their progress through our AquaHacking Challenge program and look forward to what’s ahead.

Soula Chronopoulos

AquaAction

This technology has the potential to significantly enhance asset management practices in the communities we serve, and we are eager to support the adoption of their technology in the field.

Robert Czachorski

OHM Advisors

The need for innovation in asset management has never been greater. Motmot’s Autonomous Underwater Robotic (AUR) technology directly supports one of MI-AWWA’s core principles: “Innovate to build resilient infrastructure”, particularly around supporting initiatives and cross-industry partnerships with a focus on advancing the water industry.

Rick Solle, PE

Plainfield Charter Twp.

Bring Water Main Investigation to Your Utility

Tell us about your system and your field crew. We'll talk through access, training, and a J-Series lease that fits your utility.