October 2019 Vol. 74 No. 10

If you are involved in the horizontal directional drilling industry, by now you’ve probably heard about the first-ever HDD Reunion (HDDR) being organized by industry personnel and Underground Construction magazine. HDDR 2020 will be held in conjunction with the annual Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT) in Fort Worth, Texas, Jan. 28-30.

The summer construction season of 2019 saw further decline for the Utility & Communications Construction Index (UCCI) companies relative to the S&P 500. From June through September, the S&P 500 is up over 3 percent, while the UCCI had declines of approximately 1.4 percent.

Hydraulic pipe pigging was utilized during a recent project in Canada to clean invasive quagga mussels from three large-diameter freshwater intake pipelines. The deep-water intakes, each more than 3 miles long, bring water from Lake Ontario into the Island Water Treatment Plant owned by the city of Toronto.

To understand the evolution of pressure pipe rehabilitation technology, it also helps to understand the evolution of pressure pipe itself.

EDITOR’S NOTE: NASSCO, now in its 45th year, continues to set standards for the assessment and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure. A vast array of individuals has contributed to the success of the association, both in the past and present, that has driven NASSCO’s industry mission. This se..

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving ahead with an effort to limit the ability of states to stymie pipeline projects by either declining to issue or delaying the issuance of Clean Water Act certifications. The states and Indian tribes are required to issue those permits within one year of submission of a request by a company wanting to build a pipeline.

As in the past, the RehabZone is a unique feature of the 2020 Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exposition (UCT). The show is scheduled for Jan. 28–30, 2020, at the Fort Worth, Texas, Convention Center.

The Most Valuable Professional of the underground infrastructure industry will be honored on Jan. 28, at the annual Underground Construction Technology (UCT) International Conference & Exhibition, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Larry N. Patterson, P.E., executive director of the Upper Trinity Regional Water District, will deliver the keynote address for the water and sewer industry at the annual Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT), Jan. 28–30, 2020.

A new step-by-step instruction document for the pipe bursting installation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) PE 4710 pipe has been published by the Municipal Advisory Board, an independent, non-commercial adviser to the Municipal & Industrial Division of the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI). MAB Guidelines for PE 4710 Pipe Bursting of Potable Water Mains (MAB-5-2019) is available free of charge via the Publications section of plasticpipe.org.

Continuing expansion into the industrial equipment industry, Vermeer Mid Atlantic, an All Roads company, acquired Vermeer Northeast, a Pinnacle Award-winning dealer partner of Vermeer Corporation, with locations in New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Vacuworx has announced an addition to its international sales team as the company continues to explore and develop new opportunities for the faster, safer and smarter handling of pipeline and construction materials worldwide.

Caterpillar released 16 new D3 Series skid steer loader (SSL) and compact track loader (CTL) models that advance the D and D2 Series’ reputation for quality, comfort and performance, and deliver improvements in operator experience, stability and technology.

Compact, durable and very easy-to-use, the G450 Gas Detector from GoodforGas Instrumentation offers exceptional performance for an extremely affordable price.

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. (ADS), the Hilliard, Ohio-based, global manufacturer of water management products, solutions and technologies for infrastructure, released its enhanced Design Tool 2.0. The new application enables customers to incorporate site-specific information, quickly create StormTech system layouts in CAD and PDF formats and edit and save these designs for review and modification.

As part of its vision to set standards by increasing the awareness of aging underground infrastructure and providing viable solutions through education, technical resources and industry advocacy, NASSCO introduced the first of many regional events: Motor City Exchange.

A new, state-of-the-art, fully integrated inspection unit from Subsite Electronics does double duty, increasing productivity.

Quanta Services said it has completed the acquisition of Plainview, N.Y.-based Hallen Construction, a large gas utility contractor serving key markets in the U.S. Northeast, along with two Southeast specialty contractors for $330 million in cash and stock.

The municipal water authority for Delaware County, Penn., has agreed to sell its wastewater assets to a subsidiary of publicly traded water utility Aqua America for $276.5 million, the company said.

U.S. construction spending ticked up just 0.1% in July, aided by government spending on schools, sewers and the water supply.

Officials at the Grand Canyon lifted water restrictions last month after fixing a pipeline break in a section north of Phantom Ranch.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Michels Corporation is honoring the people, projects and values that have helped the company grow from a regional gas distribution contractor into one of the largest utility and transportation contractors in North America.

A new market report projects worldwide demand for crawler cameras used in sewer inspections will continue to grow at a brisk pace, describing them as the “future of pipeline inspection systems” due to their efficiency, accuracy and low cost.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is offering grants supporting land-based industries and infrastructure that benefit rural communities.

APA Group said it has completed the installation of a gas pipeline in Australia that included a 300-foot (905-meter) crossing under the Brisbane River.

Global water technology company, Xylem, was included on Fortune’s 2019 “Change the World” list, for a second, consecutive year.

CASE Construction Equipment named its 2019 “Diamond Dealer” and “Gold Dealer” award recipients as part of its North American Partnership Program, which encourages dealers to provide the ultimate ownership experience to customers and increases dealer performance per the results of a dealer assessment.

State regulators say Rapid City Regional Airport did not cause contamination when it dumped about 74,000 gallons of sewage on its property without a permit.

In conjunction with introducing its D6 XE electric drive dozer, Caterpillar, a leading manufacturer of heavy equipment for the construction and mining industry, launched the Dream Dozer campaign. Using KBMax’s product configurator, this interactive design game allows users to create their own “dream” version of the D6XE.

Australia has agreed to provide the fledgling democracy of East Timor with naval infrastructure and an undersea internet link with the world, responding to China’s increasing influence in the region.

William (“Bill”) Riel, well-known and accomplished in the field of directional drilling, died Aug. 7, in Orrville, Ohio, at age 74. A mechanical engineer who graduated from Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio, he worked in the field of directional drilling for most of his professional ca..