Business
Kim Rush named president of Portland utility NW Natural Gas
Northwest Natural Gas Company (NW Natural) has announced the appointment of Kim Rush as its next president, effective April 1, 2025. Rush, a 26-year veteran of the Portland-headquartered utility, will take on full strategic, financial, and operational responsibilities for the company.
Vortex acquires Sancon, expanding trenchless solutions along West Coast
Vortex Companies, LLC (Vortex), has announced its acquisition of Sancon Technologies, Inc. (Sancon). Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Sancon has been a trusted leader in structure and trenchless rehabilitation across California and Nevada, since 2012.
Verdantas expands Northern California water services with MHM acquisition
Verdantas, a technical consulting firm specializing in environmental, water, and energy solutions, has acquired Marysville-based M-H-M, Inc. (MHM) to bolster its presence in Northern California's water market.
Azuria Water Solutions acquires Pipe Pros, expands Southeast utility services
Azuria Water Solutions has acquired Pipe Pros LLC, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based contractor specializing in sewer, sanitation, and storm utility services. The acquisition strengthens Azuria's presence in the Southeast and adds to its portfolio of technology-enabled water solutions.
Joe Schotthoefer: NASSCO Standard Bearer
(UI) — Joe Schotthoefer, vice president of operations at Doetsch Environmental Services, reflects on his journey from field technician to NASSCO leader, highlighting the importance of collaboration, community, and setting standards for underground infrastructure.
Xylem acquires majority stake in Idrica to empower water utilities with intelligent solutions
Global water solutions company Xylem has acquired a majority stake in Idrica, a leader in water data management and analytics, to empower water utilities with intelligent solutions for their most critical challenges.
Line-Scape appoints Jaime Guevara as CTO to drive innovation, enhance IT strategy
Line-Scape appoints Jaime Guevara as CTO to lead technology innovation and enhance IT strategy, aiming to drive growth and digital transformation.
Business People
Discover the latest innovations and industry collaborations in underground construction.
Underground Infrastructure Business Highlights: Key Developments and Insights
Explore the latest business moves in the underground infrastructure industry, from groundbreaking tunnel construction to dealer expansions, cutting-edge pipeline detection technology, and beyond. This month’s Business column covers major projects and acquisitions, innovation milestones, and key developments shaping the field.
HDD Reunion, Hall of Fame Class of ’25 announced
Underground Infrastructure magazine and the Horizontal Directional Drilling Association, in conjunction with the HDD Reunion Organization, are proud to announce the HDD Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The honorees will be inducted during the HDD Reunion on Wednesday, March 5.
Mark Boyer named 2025 MVP of underground infrastructure industry
Long-time Houston-based underground infrastructure contractor Mark L. Boyer has been selected as the Most Valuable Professional of the underground infrastructure industry for 2025.
AGA’s Sames bids farewell after 20 years
After nearly 20 years, Christina Sames is stepping away from her role as senior vice president of Operations & Engineering for the American Gas Association (AGA).
California’s Ukiah Valley Water Authority expands with Willow County Water District
Formed earlier this year, the joint powers authority now oversees water services for 9,100 connections across the Greater Ukiah Valley, including Millview County Water District, Redwood Valley County Water District, and the City of Ukiah.
Indiana American Water completes $45 million acquisition of Silver Creek Water
The transaction expands the utility’s service area to approximately 8,000 new customers in Silver Creek and Carr Townships in Clark County, and New Albany Township in Floyd County, located in southern Indiana.
CGA opens registration for 25th annual conference in Orlando, Florida
The conference will bring together industry leaders to reflect on CGA’s quarter-century legacy and explore future innovations in damage prevention.
New Jersey American Water finalizes $6.5 million acquisition of Manville wastewater system
New Jersey American Water has completed the acquisition of the Borough of Manville’s wastewater collection system for $6.5 million. This system, which serves approximately 4,300 customers, will expand the utility’s existing water service reach in Manville, New Jersey.
Pennsylvania American Water acquires Butler Area Sewer Authority
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, has completed the purchase of the Butler Area Sewer Authority (BASA) wastewater system for $230 million.
ASCE names MSD Deer Creek Sanitary Tunnel and Pump Station Project of the Year
KAI 360 CS is proud to announce that the ASCE St. Louis Section has named the MSD Deer Creek Sanitary Tunnel and Pump Station as its 2024 Project of the Year.
Garney partners with RodRadar to enhance utility strike prevention during excavation
A strategic partnership between Garney and RodRadar aims to enhance excavation safety and operational efficiency through the use of real-time radar technology.
California American Water to acquire Mesa del Sol water system in Monterey County
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved California American Water’s acquisition of the Mesa del Sol water system in the Corral de Tierra area of unincorporated Monterey County.
Pennsylvania American Water and Towamencin to cancel wastewater system sale
Pennsylvania American Water (PAW) and Towamencin Township have announced plans to terminate the sale of the township’s wastewater system.
Maryland American Water gets green light to acquire Severn Water Company for $1.6 million
Severn Water Company agreed to sell its water system in Nov. 2023, citing the need for more expertise in water management. Maryland American Water has a history of infrastructure investment, having put $3.5 million into its system serving the Town of Bel Air last year.
McElroy inducts Biffle, Lee brothers into 2024 Fusion Hall of Fame
McElroy, a leader in thermoplastic fusion equipment manufacturing, has announced the induction of Bob Biffle, Mike Lee, and David Lee into its 2024 Fusion Hall of Fame.
HardRock Infrastructure acquires HDW Construction & Drilling, expands water utility services
HardRock Infrastructure Services and Tower Arch Capital have completed the acquisition of HDW Construction & Drilling, strengthening HardRock’s presence in the water and wastewater utility industry.
Underground Infrastructure Business Highlights: Key Developments and Insights
Explore the latest business moves in the underground infrastructure industry, from groundbreaking tunnel construction to dealer expansions, cutting-edge pipeline detection technology, and beyond. This month’s Business column covers major projects and acquisitions, innovation milestones, and key developments shaping the field.
Tachus Fiber celebrates 50,000 customers on 3,000-mile network in North Houston
Tachus has grown rapidly over the last five years to offer lightning-fast and incredibly reliable broadband services to more than 160,000 homes and businesses in a vast arc across the North Houston communities of Atascocita, Conroe, Huffman, Humble, Kingwood, Porter, Willis, and The Woodlands with current construction ongoing in the other Houston area communities.
LEO A DALY completes strategic partnership with with Hennick & Company
As part of the transaction, 42 senior employees have acquired a 25% stake in the firms. This marks the largest expansion of equity ownership in the company's history. For the 12 months ending February 29, 2024, LEO A DALY generated combined global revenues of $232 million.
Cadiz names Cathryn Rivera as new COO to lead groundbreaking water projects
Cadiz Inc., a California-based water solutions company, has appointed Cathryn Rivera as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective Sept. 16. The move follows the earlier appointment of Susan Kennedy as CEO, as part of the company’s efforts to expand its leadership team.
Ripple Fiber to expand fiber optic service to 60,000 Michigan residents
Ripple Fiber anticipates the start of construction to take place in the coming months and aims to begin launching service for over 60,000 Wayne County residents by 2025, while continuing to actively explore expansion opportunities in the surrounding area. This milestone marks Ripple Fiber’s entrance into the Midwest region.
Hardrock Infrastructure expands water utility reach with HDW Construction & Drilling acquisition
Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Seguin, Texas, HDW is an auger boring and tunneling company that specializes in drilling pipelines for water and wastewater infrastructure such as sewers, drinking water pipes and stormwater drainage networks.
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- West Virginia approves $67 million for water, sewer projects
- Mark Boyer named 2025 MVP of underground infrastructure industry