Associations
UI Awards 2025: Top projects, technologies honored during Underground Infrastructure Conference
UI Awards 2025 recognized leading underground infrastructure achievements, including major sewer, fiber, water and rehabilitation projects, at the annual awards dinner during the Underground Infrastructure Conference.
Outgoing DCA president Mark Albert ‘fit right in’
AGI Construction founder Mark Albert reflects on his tenure as DCA president, emphasizing new leadership pathways, committee engagement, and the future of the natural gas pipeline industry.
MVP celebration approaches sell-out
Houston-based underground infrastructure contractor Mark L. Boyer has been selected as the Most Valuable Professional of the underground industry for 2025. He has been serving the Texas and surrounding states’ markets for almost 40 years.
PCCA enters 2025 with full agenda
With the federal government in tremendous flux at the start of the year, leaders of the Power & Communication Contractors Association knew they had to hit the ground running in 2025. They knew that with President Trump returning to the White House and a new GOP-led Congress, our industry would be buoyed by pro-business policies and unshackled from the over-regulation and imposed social policies of the last four years.
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.
Utility Investigation School returns to Denver for 24th session with Kiewit
This event marks the fifth UIS session in Denver and the second collaboration between ASCE and Kiewit, with Kiewit providing facilities for both classroom instruction and on-site demonstrations.
Buried Asset Management Congress opens registration
The 2024 Global Buried Asset Management Congress (GBAMC) will offer an exceptional platform for professionals across the underground infrastructure sector. Scheduled for Nov. 14-16, in the Omni Severin Hotel, Indianapolis, this event promises to deliver many industry highlights.
Utility Engineering & Surveying Institute’s Pipelines 2025 Conference abstracts due Oct. 1, 2024
The conference, held in Tampa, Florida from Aug. 9-13, 2025, will provide a forum for industry professionals to share experiences and knowledge between owners, agencies, consultants, industry, suppliers, contractors, and governments from around the world.
22 Years of advancing research in underground infrastructure and trenchless technologies: CUIRE's commitment
It is hard to believe that 22 years have passed since the Center for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education (CUIRE) was established. In 2006, the first trenchless technology conference was held at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).
Fiber Broadband Association launches new state broadband office membership program
The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) announced a new membership program for State Broadband Offices. Open to all state and territory broadband offices, this program includes access to FBA research, events, and the OpTIC Path™ fiber optic technician training program, as well as networking and social events.
McElroy receives OSHA SHARP recognition for workplace safety
McElroy has been recognized for its commitment to workplace safety with a new designation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
Plastics Pipe Institute releases free instructional video library for underground piping materials
Called Training Shorts, the teaching modules focus on piping materials such as CPVC, HDPE, PEX, PE-RT, PP. Topics include joining, installation, fusion, trenching, design, testing, sustainability plus other subjects important to those involved in drainage, natural gas, heating, plumbing, water, and sewer systems plus conduit projects.
Inside Infrastructure: 8th DCA/AGA workshop bolsters communication, cooperation
The 8th annual DCA & AGA Workshop, held in Kansas City, brought together 140 industry representatives and featured discussions on pipeline safety, workforce development, cybersecurity, and legislative challenges, highlighting the critical importance of collaboration in the gas distribution industry.
OSHA restructures regional operations to improve efficiency, resiliency
The changes include the creation of a new OSHA regional office in Birmingham, Alabama, overseeing agency operations in the state, and those in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee as well as the Florida Panhandle.
Horizontal Directional Drilling Association to host HDDA Meeting and Training Conference in May 2024
Located at the Baton Rouge Marriot, HDD professionals will have the chance to dive into rig mechanics, learn how to identify utilities, discuss the importance of fluid control, among other important topics relevant to the HDD industry.
Second annual Global Buried Asset Management Congress to be held in Indianapolis
Building on the achievements of the inaugural The Global Buried Asset Management Congress (GBAMC), BAMI-I, in partnership with Purdue Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) and Southwest Environmental Financial Center (SWEFC), announced the second GBAMC, scheduled for Nov.14-16, 2024, in Indianapolis.
Fiber infrastructure has no known expiration date, Fiber Broadband Association research concludes
The Fiber Broadband Association’s Technology Committee has published its “Fiber Broadband Scalability and Longevity” white paper — the latest FBA research that explains optical fiber is the only communications medium that can support both existing and future applications for many decades with no infrastructure changes.
22nd ASCE UESI / BAMI-I UIS School to be held in Austin, Texas, for utilities professionals
The 22nd ASCE UESI / BAMI-I UIS School will be hosted in Austin, Texas, from April 1-5, 2024. This highly-anticipated event is a collaboration between the Buried Asset Management Institute – International (BAMI-I) and ASCE’s UESI - Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI).
HDD Reunion, Hall of Fame celebration to be held at UIC
The biannual Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Reunion and HDD Hall of Fame celebration will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Oklahoma City Convention Center in conjunction with the Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC).
PCCA takes workforce development, damage prevention efforts to the States
The PCCA has fought for increased funding for rural broadband and electric power, fewer regulatory roadblocks, faster permitting, damage prevention, workforce development, and more. But in 2023 and now into the new year, PCCA is taking a more active role in the states, especially when it comes to workforce development and damage prevention.
Editor’s Log: Industry honors and celebrations
It’s officially awards season for the underground infrastructure industry with some amazing people, projects and technology being cited for market contributions.
Outgoing DCA President Ray Swerdfeger stresses significance of local inclusion
Swerdfeger, the outgoing president of the Distribution Contractors Association (DCA), had the chance to grow up in the family business, working closely with his father. As a second-generation president following in his father's footsteps, Swerdfeger sat down with Underground Infrastructure for an exclusive interview. The discussion covered the accomplishments and directions of the DCA in 2023.
Dig into your future at UIC
To unlock the secrets of this subterranean realm and revolutionize your approach to utility construction, rehabilitation and asset management, there's no better investment than the 2024 Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC) to be held in Oklahoma City, Okla.
UI Awards ’24 finalists announced
(UI) — The annual Underground Infrastructure Awards (UIA), the most comprehensive and prestigious program to recognize outstanding performance and technology for the entire underground infrastructure industry, has announced the finalists for the 2024 awards.
BAM-I, UESI to host five-day utility investigation school in Miami in 2024
The Buried Asset Management Institute – International announced that the 21st ASCE UESI / BAMI-I UIS School will be hosted from February 5-9, 2024, in Miami, Florida.
CGA publishes telecom white paper on preventing utility damage trends
(UI) — Based on research among telecommunications stakeholders, CGA’s new research points to the sector’s impact on the U.S. damage prevention system as a whole and recommends key actions telecom organizations can take to drive damages down.
Fiber Broadband Association brings fiber broadband education to rural North Carolina communities
Partnering with broadband internet provider Fybe, the two organizations will leverage the OpTIC Path course to produce a pipeline of expertly-trained fiber broadband technicians that will connect rural communities to high-quality fiber broadband networks.
Plastics Pipe Institute selects 20-year curriculum veteran to lead education committee
The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. appointed Jason McKinnon, Director of Engineering Services, Viega, LLC (Broomfield, CO), as the chair of its education committee.
Business News
Vacuworx celebrates 25th anniversary; Grundfos celebrates the 50th anniversary of its U.S. operations; 120Water selected to manage the data and submittal of Georgia’s lead service line (LSL) inventories; and more!
Elevate your expertise and expand your network – register for the Underground Infrastructure Conference today
Get ready for the most exciting event of the year for underground utility professionals. The 2024 Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC) is where the industry will come together to address the pressing needs and priorities of our aging infrastructure. Join us for this groundbreaking, two-and-a-half day conference from March 19–21 in Oklahoma City, Okla., and take your knowledge and career to new heights!
- Authorities investigating trench collapse that killed worker in Ashburn, Va.
- NTSB publishes preliminary report on fatal gas pipeline explosion in Lexington, Mo.
- OSHA fines Calif. company for violations that led to fatal trench collapse
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds
- Ditch Witch West sells first Bulldog trencher to speed up undergrounding work along West Coast
- Maryland lawmakers push to curb BGE pipeline spending, citing safety and cost concerns
- Charlottesville, Va., to begin work on 24-inch water line for Rivanna River crossing
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish