January 2016 Vol. 71 No. 1
Business
Momentum For NASSCO Initiatives Continues
by Jeff Griffin, Senior Editor
It seems like every year is an eventful time for National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO), the national organization dedicated to improving standards relating to the assessment, maintenance and rehabilitation of underground wastewater infrastructure.
NASSCO initiatives resulting in a number of significant goals reached and accomplishments achieved started at the association’s 2015 annual conference, said President Mark Metcalf. Now, as the association prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary at its convention in Hawaii, Metcalf reflected on just some of the multitude of activities NASSCO was involved with over the past year.
“Technical Day at the conference,” he said, “was restructured into two tracks designed to ensure relevancy. The first track covered safety, risk assessment and municipal issues; the second was devoted to collection system inspection, maintenance and rehabilitation.”
Other accomplishments in 2015 cited by Metcalf included:
PACP Version 7.0 – After months of hard work, the improved, more user-friendly Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP)
Version 7.0 was released following an intensive peer review by 65 collection professionals who evaluated technical updates, educational benefits and developed the risk management and pipe shapes and materials appendices, among other enhanced features.
Webinars – NASSCO partnered with WEF (Water Environment Federation) and others to share industry knowledge with the widest audiences possible via webinars focusing on the release of PACP Version 7.0, rehabilitation specifications, lateral rehabilitation and injection grouting.
ITCP Training – The Inspector Training Certification Program (ITCP) was enhanced, with ongoing development of an upcoming pipe bursting course, which will soon join the established course subjects of CIPP (cured in place pipe) and manhole rehabilitation technologies.
Industry Partnerships – NASSCO continued to work with partner associations such as WEF, Center for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education at the University of Texas-Arlington, Oklahoma State University and the Trenchless Technology Center at Louisiana Tech University to identify areas for mutual industry growth including workshops,
the WEF Operations Challenge, research and an ongoing exchange of knowledge
Work continues
Metcalf said 2015 is over, but NASSCO’s work is not.
“In fact,” he added, “the accomplishments just referenced have created even more opportunities for industry advancements and will propel us well into 2016 with an abundance of activity to come.
“The greatest hope for the future of our industry is attracting talented professionals and our ability to prepare and train them for career growth and development. To this end, NASSCO is launching an Apprenticeship Program. We submitted the appropriate paperwork to the Department of Labor in November to create a new concentration, ‘Sewer Inspection and Rehabilitation’, under the existing Occupational Title ‘Construction Craft Laborer’. If all goes well, we expect this to move forward in 2016.
“As for ITCP, we are looking to team with Water Environment Federation member associations to bring ITCP to their respective areas. Initially, we are going to work with the Chesapeake Water Environment Association to arrange a class in early 2016. This is a win-win for both organizations and has far reaching ramifications to ITCP.”
In addition, Metcalf said Lynn Osborn, NASSCO’s technical director, is working hard to bring a more comprehensive and robust Technical Day to the 2016 Annual Conference. He has put together two technical tracks that are packed full of presentations that will appeal to each facet of membership; inspection, laterals, procurement, cleaning and rehabilitation. A municipal forum will follow with industry heavy hitters from around the country to discuss the state of their sewer systems and their perspectives about the future of those systems.
Established in 1976, NASSCO is a national association composed of more than 550 members representing sewer and rehabilitation industry manufacturers and suppliers, municipalities and utility districts, engineers and contracting firms dedicated to establishing and implementing standards for rehabilitation of underground utilities.
Metcalf, vice president of operations for Professional Pipe Services Inc., will complete his term as president at NASSCO’s 2016 annual conference in February. He credits the association’s committed members and dedicated board of directors with the accomplishments of the association.
“These people,” he said, “are incredibly busy, and even though they have their own jobs and responsibilities, they find time to make a significant impact on our industry through their involvement with NASSCO. The one thing that draws them all together is a common commitment to further NASSCO’s mission to set standards for the assessment and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure and to assure the continued acceptance and growth of trenchless technologies. Along with NASSCO’s professional staff, all work together to bring tangible results.
”My year as president has been fulfilling and yes, challenging, but I have enjoyed every moment serving this important association.”
At the 2016 annual meeting the presidency of NASSCO will be assumed by Kay Doheny, executive vice president of Doheny Supplies.
NASSCO offices are in Marriottsville, MD. Ted DeBoda, P.E., is executive director. For more information about NASSCO and its activities, visit the web site, www.nassco.org, call 410.422.7788.
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