July 2023 Vol. 78 No. 7

From largely technological dreams to proven reality, the diversity of rehabilitation applications has spread like wildfire over the past 50 years.

(UI) — The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has proposed major changes to its leak detection based not on concerns about safety but, rather, in order to reduce methane emissions related to their contribution to climate change.

(UI) — Created in 1951, by the Texas Legislature, North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) consists of 10 original member cities, including Farmersville, Forney, Garland, McKinney, Mesquite, Plano, Princeton, Rockwall, Royse City and Wylie. By 1956, this new agency was providing water to the region.

(UI) — More than 217,000 utility damage events were reported in 2021, according to the latest Common Ground Alliance DIRT (Damage Information Reporting Tool) Report. The three leading causes of these reported utility strikes were: digging without calling 811, failure to pothole and/or maintain clearance, and locating issues due to incorrect and/or outdated maps.

(UI) — Recent studies of cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) liners have shown that potentially dangerous concentrations of styrene can be emitted prior to liner installation in the cold storage unit or vehicle.

(UI) — Trenchless methods have been widely used for the rehabilitation of gravity pipelines for some time. The advent of these technologies and methods has lowered the cost of extending the useful life of gravity pipelines as opposed to outright replacing them.

As the construction season jumped into full swing, the impacts of labor, equipment and government regulation on the contractor are highly impactful. After another month in June of construction employment gains (25,000 new jobs) in the U.S. economy, the challenge of finding labor to complete the potential work remains high.

The Horizontal Directional Drilling Association recently held a complimentary, hands-on Mud School to share vital information for new drillers and provide a refresher course for veteran operators. More than 60 people attended the May 18 event held at the Doubletree Hotel near Love Field in Dallas, Texas.

(UI) — After a heavy rainfall in June 2022, the Trinity River Authority (TRA) was notified of a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) on a sewer line within the Walker Calloway System, a 4.7-mile wastewater collection system built, owned and operated by TRA.

Each of NASSCO’S Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP) inspection reports offer eight or nine different condition grades. How each of these condition ratings are calculated is outlined within the PACP Manual Appendix C, but what do they mean and how can they be interpreted?

(UI) — The manhole camera industry has undergone significant advancements in recent years, revolutionizing the way we inspect and maintain underground infrastructure.

(UI) — Aries Industries, an industry leader in state-of-the-art equipment for inspection and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure, is accelerating investment in its core business of wastewater/sewer inspection and rehabilitation product lines.

Vermeer opened its new, 312,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Global Parts Distribution Center, on the grounds of its Pella, Iowa, corporate headquarters, to support the important work customers and dealers are performing around the world.

(UI) — Discover the latest innovations in heavy equipment with John Deere's expanded Performance Tiering compact wheel loaders, HCSS's advanced Fleet Dashcams for enhanced driver safety, and Felling Trailers' groundbreaking Air Bi-Fold Ramps System, setting new standards in the construction industry.

Daniel Oefner, ENV SP, P.E., Assistant Director for Wastewater Operations at the city of Houston, was the guest speaker at the Underground Construction Technology Association’s Gulf Coast Chapter luncheon on June 7 at Maggiano’s Little Italy, Houston.