January 2022 Vol. 77 No. 1

By Robert Carpenter, Editor-in-Chief As we enter a new year, it brings a mixed bag of hope and concerns for the underground infrastructure markets.   This issue of Underground Construction includes two excellent analyses by ..

EPA Details Push to Tighten Rules for Lead in Drinking Water  The Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to tighten rules for allowable levels of lead in drinking water, as the Biden administration looks to replace all of the nation’s lead service lines using new funds from the bipartisan ..

By Stephen Barlas, Washington, D.C. Editor Congress dropped a load of new funding for drinking water and sewer construction in the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) which is meant to be over and above what the appropriations committees will provide annually for the Clean Water and Drinkin..

By Daniel Shumate, Managing Director of FMI Capital Advisors Inc. Uncertainty felt like the only certainty over the past year as the industry performed quite well despite labor, material, COVID delta variant and regulatory challenges that were on the minds of every contractor. With the passage of t..

By Jeff Awalt, Executive Editor Oil and natural gas prices climbed higher in 2021, prompting increased drilling and production among mostly independent producers in global regions, but a host of political and COVID-related economic concerns kept markets on edge and highly reactive for much of the y..

By Jeff Griffin, Senior Editor The number of homes in the United States that connect to the internet with fiber optic cable is increasing and 5G is an important development. But many may be surprised what the FTTH (fiber to the home) growth data shows.  ..

By Jeff Awalt, Executive Editor In years past, the Distribution Contractors Association’s (DCA) annual conventions have been predictably grand events, with large crowds and noteworthy speakers in destination resorts.  The up..

By Jeff Griffin, Senior Editor As members of the Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA) prepare for their annual convention, they continue to be affected by the Covid epidemic and face major challenges on many fronts, said PLCA President Dwayne Osadchuk.  ..

By Jeff Awalt, Executive Editor There are some people who seem to know exactly where their future and their career will take them from the earliest age. And that certainly seemed to be the case with George Kurz, who was named 2021 Most Valuable Professional of the sewer/water industry by the Underg..

The University of Houston’s Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology (CIGMAT) is an integrated, inter-disciplinary, university-industry consortium dedicated to research that fosters understanding of grout, and competing and complementary, materials and technologies used in constructin..

By Sean Comerford, Oatey Co. Root intrusion is one of the most damaging problems to discover in a sewer system. Roots thrive in sewer lines because they are well-ventilated and provide an excellent water source. While that’s great for plants and trees, it can have a devastating impact on a sewer sy..

By Dwight Evans, Sunbelt Rentals To ensure their success, bypass projects require stakeholders to devise detailed solutions, while also planning for the unexpected. Making improvements to the aging infrastructure at the Lower Berkeley Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was no exception.  ..

Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas Welcomes New President  Stan Park was appointed as president of Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas, Inc. A 27-year veteran of the company, he previously held various field and executive-level leadership roles, most recently as vice president of marketing..

New RigFitter Simplifies Selection of Tooling for HDD  A new digital HDD tooling configurator from Vermeer offers HDD operators, owners and dealers a powerful and easy way to select HDD tooling and build a drill string for a pilot bore or pullback.  ..