Geostatistical analysis to identify characteristics involved in sewer pipes and urban tree interactions

•Tree-root intrusion in sewers was investigated in the city of Bogotá (Colombia) based on sewer CCTV inspection data and sewer and tree inventories.•The proposed geostatistical methodology is suitable for the identification of the most critical tree characteristics for tree-root sewer intrusion.•Tree total height, trunk height and equatorial diameter have a positive influence on the number of root intrusions.•For the analysed sewer network and trees city inventory, root intrusion odds were found to be 1.7 higher for domestic sewers when compared to combined sewers.•Ten tree species with high root strength were identified to be be responsible for tree root intrusion.