A system for performing automated inspection of a sewer line using machine learning. The system comprises a inspection data database storing sewer inspection data including images and metadata associated therewith; an inspection upload module receiving and uploading the sewer inspection data to the inspection data database; and an inspection module receiving the sewer inspection data from the inspection data database and generating therefrom identification data including characteristics of the sewer line identified and categorized. The identification module uses at least one machine learning model processing the sewer inspection data and determining whether at least one sewer specific characteristic is identifiable in the images and categorizing the at least one sewer specific, using a plurality of hierarchical classes where a top class performs the determination of whether the at least one sewer specific characteristic is present and the identification thereof and lower classes perform categorization in decreasing abstraction levels.