May 2016, Vol. 71 No. 5

The 2016 Horizontal Directional Drilling Roundtable, hosted by Underground Construction magazine in conjunction with the annual Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT), was held in Atlanta earlier this year and brought a spirited discussion about issues and op..

The Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology (CIGMAT) and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, hosted its 21st annual, one-day conference and exhibition on at the University of Houston, March 4. More than 330 individuals and 14 invited speakers..

Installing pipeline across the United States, once a booming business in the 1960s, slowed in the late 80s and 90s. Today, thanks to the discovery of shale oil and gas, it’s back – and so is the cradle boring machine. In fact, there has been a dramatic increase in pipeline projects worldwide in rec..

By Amster Howard, P.E. The language in pipe installation specifications should be as clear, concise and consistent as possible. The engineer often relies on American Water Works Association (AWWA) and American Standards of Testing and Measurement (ASTM) standards and manuals to prepare the project ..

I was born in Hamden, CT, and studied mechanical engineering at the University of Connecticut. In 1951, I joined the Air Force where I attended pilot training school. After serving three years as an Air Force pilot, I left the military and returned to Connecticut to work for my father, Ray Bahr, Sr...

The United States and Canada will require annual average midstream natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids midstream energy infrastructure investment of about $26 billion per year, or $546 billion (real 2015$) total over the 21-year period from 2015 to 2035, a new study finds. The report, “N..

Millions of miles of overhead utilities are strung across the United States, but the unreliability of overhead utility lines as well as increasing maintenance and operating costs have led more municipalities, particularly in urban areas, to convert their overhead distribution lines to underground. ..

The Southern Delivery System (SDS), one of the largest water projects under construction in the western United States, began the first phase of commercial operation in late April. Community leaders, contractors and partner communities celebrated the end of a busy 2015 with significant progress and ..

Underground Equipment Maintenance: Track Trencher Maintenance Operation of any type of construction equipment results in wear of essential components. Regular track trencher maintenance and replacement of worn parts when necessary keeps equipment productive and extends a machine’s service life. We..

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is joining other businesses, labor organizations and elected officials across the United States to tell policymakers and citizens to promote the need for more investment. Strong, resilient infrastructure is critical to our country’s economic growth and..

The price Americans pay for municipal water is rising faster than any other city household expense, according to a new survey published today by Circle of Blue, the award-winning network of journalists and researchers that reports on water and worldwide resource issues. Circle of Blue’s annual wate..

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker presented Bandit Industries, Inc. with the President’s “E” Award for Exports at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on May 16. The President’s “E” Award is the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expa..

On May 19, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) unanimously voted to adopt the 2017 State Water Plan. Conservation strategies are by far the most frequently recommended strategy in the plan, accounting for over one quarter of strategy supplies in 2070. The capital costs associated with impleme..

T. Roderick Henkels, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Henkels & McCoy, Inc., announced the formation of Henkels & McCoy Group, Inc., as the new parent holding company of Henkels & McCoy, Inc., HMI Services, Inc., and H&M Shared Services, Inc. The formation of the holding com..

McElroy, a manufacturer and innovator of pipe fusion equipment, announces the launch of its newly redesigned website – mcelroy.com. The new fusion website boasts an inviting, informative and mobile-friendly interface with an easy-to-use design, while providing even more machine and fused piping sys..

Quanta Services named two new members to its board of directors earlier this year. Doyle Beneby and David McClanahan join the board with C-level experience in the electric and gas utility, as well as in renewable energy industries. McClanahan served Houston-based CenterPoint Energy as president and..

Avanti International introduced Jacob Swanson as its new Midwest Regional Manager, earlier this year. Swanson comes into his new role with more than 10 years of injection grouting experience. Swanson is an expert injection specialist of acrylics, polyurethane and cementitious grouts, with past resp..

After 34 years of service with Case Construction Equipment, Jim Hasler has retired as vice president – North America. Hasler will be succeeded by Scott Harris, who previously served as vice president of parts and service for CNH Industrial. In his new role, Harris will oversee the North American con..

Minnesota Limited President, Christopher Leines, has retired after a lifelong career dedicated to the company, effective March 31. Throughout his tenure, Leines successfully drove a best-in-class level of performance for safety and quality, said Doug Banning, Minnesota Limited and Miller Pipeline CE..

The American Rental Association (ARA), which offers quarterly updates to its 5-year forecast for rental equipment industry revenue to reflect the most up-to-date economic factors, released its second quarter outlook, May 2. The total U.S. rental revenue in 2016 is expected to reach a record $47.9 b..

The Greater Houston Wastewater Program has used Standard Cement’s Reliner MSP Cement with Geopolymer to protect its sewer manhole system against corrosion since 1990. The Green Technology Cement rehabilitates structures extending their serviceability and is verified by CIGMAT, University of Houston ..

Sauereisen has developed a series of materials & systems for municipal wastewater that are utilized for the protection and restoration of concrete, brick and other substrates. The company’s solutions to microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) and inflow and infiltration (I&I) have a successful, we..

The Montabert V32 heavy range hydraulic breaker features variable-speed technology that automatically adjusts impact energy and striking rate in response to changes in material hardness, maximizing productivity. Designed for use on excavators weighing between 39,700 and 66,150 pounds, the V32 hydrau..

AP/M’s CentriPipe CCCP system, centrifugally cast concrete pipe system for the structural renewal of culverts and sanitary sewer pipe — without backhoes, repaving, traffic detours, flooding or hazardous construction. Corrugated metal, with its propensity to rust and buckle, was not meant to last for..

The McLaughlin On Target auger boring steering system allows contractors to control the direction of the bore in a lateral movement for improved accuracy. The steering head is controlled by hydraulic actuated panels that keep the bore on the intended path. Auger boring is a cost-efficient way to ins..

With Ozzie’s Mini-padder, you can pad and backfill your trench or haul and/or handle material with a loader bucket, all with one machine. This mini-padding machine features a quick-connect padding head system that allows it to be quickly converted from a padding machine to a track-powered loader. O..

SpectraShield is a unique, multi-layered, polymeric lining system created specifically to protect both new and existing manholes, plus large wastewater structures like lift stations, wet wells and other treatment facilities from infiltration and corrosion. Unlike other products that are hard and rig..

Cut through tough ground conditions with the Vermeer T655 Commander 3 tractor with optional trencher or bucket wheel attachment which is designed for the installation of small-diameter cross-country pipelines helps increase productivity in soft soils. The Tier 3 John Deere 6090 HF diesel engine prov..

The new John Deere MyMaintenance mobile application takes preventative maintenance and repairs to the next level for construction maintenance managers. The app enables users to view and document maintenance intervals by calendar date or by machine engine hours right on the jobsite or in the workshop..

Doosan Portable Power introduces the XP825/HP750, Tier 4 Final-compliant air compressor. The model operates at either 825 cfm at 125 psi, or 750 cfm at 150 psi, delivering the pressure and flow options normally brought by two units in a single air compressor. The variety of settings on Doosan’s new ..

John Deere Power Systems announced its preparedness to lead OEMs through the transition from Stage IV to anticipated Stage V regulations. The company explained its modular building block approach to emission control, which has led to a diesel particulate filter (DPF) solution capable of complying w..

The Toro Dingo compact utility loader boasts more than 30 attachments aiming to provide unprecedented versatility to the Dingo product line. The Dingo attachments can assist rental customers in completing various projects, and all attachments feature the Toro Quick Attach System, which allows the op..

The Heath ODORATOR 2 offers the latest state of-the-art technology in a handheld, portable, electronic, GNSS based audit system. This instrument is used to evaluate and record the odor levels within a utility’s gas stream with respect to actual test locations. Natural gas (methane) and propane are t..

Marshalltown Water Works (MWW) is among the first utilities to receive the Directors Award in the Partnership for Safe Water’s Water Treatment and Water Distribution System Optimization Program within the same year. The company, headquartered in Marshalltown, IA, was recognized with these awards fo..

In early April, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that last year, for the first time on record, natural gas plants’ percentage of total potential electrical output generated and put onto the grid – also known as capacity factor – beat out that of coal plants. The findings sho..

The Fort Worth Water Department earned a 2016 Texas Environmental Excellence Award – the highest environmental honor in the state – in the category of Innovative Operations/Management for its Interceptor Condition Assessment Program (ICAP), a new technology allowing for more effective inspections of..

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved more than $32 million in financial assistance for rural water projects. The projects receiving funding include: $24.68 million to the city of Cameron for wastewater and water system improvements $6.35 million to the Bastrop County Water Cont..

The historic, severe drought remains a hot topic in California; residents are willing and eager to consider long-term solutions in helping the state achieve water security. A new survey released by Xylem Inc. found California residents overwhelmingly supportive of the use of treated wastewater in th..

West Virginia American Water filed an application with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSC) pursuing approval of an Infrastructure Replacement Program (IRP). An IRP is used to address the national challenge of aging infrastructure by directing additional investment to areas where imp..

More than 100 water utility leaders from across shared strategies for removing the lead service lines connecting millions of older homes to water mains at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., May 3, 2016. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) hosted the event during Drinking Water Wee..

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the WateReuse Association released a new economic benefits analysis on the impacts of increased funding for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRF), May 3, 2016. The analysis revealed a requested $34.7 billion of federal SRF spending ..

Over the next five years, DTE Gas plans to invest $1.4 billion into its Michigan natural gas pipeline infrastructure in an effort to maintain the safety and reliability of the system, while simultaneously striving to achieve affordability for its residential and business customers. The plans includ..

As originally reported by The Associated Press, California is proposing its most ambitious water project in a half-century. At $15.7 billion, the project proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown would run two giant tunnels, each four stories high, for 35 miles under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in Nor..

Pipeline industry executives are pouring over the 500-plus page pipeline safety proposal from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), an effort that will take some time before informed comments can be made. The initial comment deadline is at the end of May. “The typical 6..

Argonics, a firm with facilities in Colorado and Michigan, has engineered a new three-part Speedy Sleeve Poly Curb Box System – the product includes the polyurethane sleeve, a valve box and a PVC extension pipe. The systems’ pieces are lightweight while remaining durable, and are easily handled, un..

by Robert Carpenter, Editor-in-Chief Flint, MI, Newark, NJ, Goodsprings, NV, Greentown, IN, Jackson, MS – the current public knee-jerk reaction to possible lead poisoning from corroded lead pipe has spread faster than a zombie plague across the country. But like all types of public hysteria stirred..