HDD

Company Increases Use of Drones to Inspect Electric Transmission Lines

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Westar Energy is increasing the use of drones for such things as inspecting equipment, navigating remote areas and managing some emergencies, as the utility tries to improve safety and efficiency while also saving money, company officials said. Westar and Kansas State University..

University of Michigan, Google Create Flint Water Crisis App

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The University of Michigan and Google have teamed up to create an app and website aimed at helping Flint residents and officials deal with the lead-contaminated water crisis. Mywater-Flint was developed by computer science researchers at the university’s Flint and Ann Arbor camp..

Ditch Witch Boosts Drill Power With JT60, JT60 Upgrades

To provide horizontal directional drilling (HDD) operators with the power and performance to conquer any job, Ditch Witch, a Charles Machine Works Company, has introduced Tier 4 emission standard upgrades to the JT60 and JT60 All Terrain directional drills. With new Tier 4 engine upgrades, these dr..

Michels Upgrades Sewer and Catch Basin Cleaning Service

Michels Pipe Services has added a cost-effective, environmentally sound approach to sewer and catch basin cleaning in the Midwest. The service augments Michels’ comprehensive water and sewer maintenance and rehabilitation services throughout the nation. Michels recently purchased eight Camel 1200 w..

Colorado Celebrates “Water Research Foundation Day”

Colorado Governor John W. Hickenlooper proclaimed December 5, 2016 “Water Research Foundation Day,” in honor of The Water Research Foundation, a leading sponsor of innovative research supporting the water community.  Originally based in New York, WRF has been a member of the Colorado business commun..

The Great Lakes Water Utility Energy Challenge Launches

The Great Lakes Protection Fund and American Water Works Association have launched The Water Utility Energy and Efficiency Challenge, an innovative program which engages water operators in a competition to reduce the emissions sourced in their energy generation. The competition is aimed at connectin..

Major Underground Utility Infrastructure Conference Brings Education, Equipment To Fort Worth, TX

The 2017 Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT) is taking its benchmark education program to the Fort Worth Convention Center, Jan. 31-Feb. 2. Presented by Underground Construction magazine, UCT is the largest event in the United States focusing on undergroun..

Bit Brokers Unveils New Line Of Matrix PDC Bits

HDD

Bit Brokers International is proud to introduce its new and improved line of HDD matrix PDC bits. Matrix PDC bits are a combination of both steel and carbide. The higher the carbide-to-steel ratio is, the greater the quality of the bit. Bit Brokers’ matrix PDC bits now have the highest carbide cont..

14th Annual Ditch Witch Customer Event Draws 320 Attendees From 24 Countries

Ditch Witch, a Charles Machine Works Company, hosted its 14th annual international customer event at the Ditch Witch Barcelona Support Center in Spain. As one of the largest underground construction events in Europe, 320 customers attended, representing 24 countries across Europe, the Middle East an..

Water Research Foundation Appoints John Albert as Chief Research Officer

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has appointed John Albert as Chief Research Officer. Albert will contribute to the strategic direction of WRF as part of the Senior Management Team and as director of Research Services and Subscribers Services. “We are excited that John has accepted the role of C..

Carylon Purchases Pipeline Asset Management And Investigative Technologies

Carylon Corporation, a North American comprehensive environmental maintenance service provider, has purchased several state-of-the-art pipeline asset management and investigative technologies from JD7 that allow Carylon to inspect and conduct condition assessments in live pressure water mains across..

StraightLine HDD Inks Agreement With Armadrillco

HDD

StraightLine HDD Inc. has announced the finalization of an exclusive agreement with Armadrillco Inc. for distribution and manufacturing of Armadrillco downhole products. The agreement takes effect immediately. “Armadrillco’s HDD tools are highly complementary to our tooling portfolio,” said Straigh..

SoCalGas Deploys Sensors to Detect Methane and Enhance Public Safety

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) has completed demonstration testing of new gas detection sensors employing its Advanced Meter communication system as part of its overall pipeline safety efforts. The sensors can detect natural gas leaks quickly near natural gas pipelines and serves as an e..

Radius HDD Moves To New Headquarters

HDD

Radius HDD, a Charles Machine Works company, has completed its new facility dedicated solely to the design, manufacturing and distribution of HDD tools. The new facility will allow Radius to continue supporting drillers coast to coast, as well as the space to continue developing new and innovative t..

John Deere Integrates SmartGrade Technology Into 750K, 850K Dozers

John Deere is building on its lineup of SmartGrade crawler dozers with the integration of the machine control offering on the 750K and 850K models. “The launch of our 700K SmartGrade dozer was a huge hit earlier this year, and many of our customers asked for the grade control technology to be integ..

UT Austin Engineering Becomes New Home for EPA Water Infrastructure Center

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $3.9 million to researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin to establish the new Center for Infrastructure Modeling and Management, which will develop and improve open source water infrastructure mo..

Vactor HXX ParaDIGm® Vacuum Excavator Wins Award at 15th Annual Chicago Innovation Awards

The Vactor HXX ParaDIGm®, a compact vacuum excavator, has been named a winner at the 15th annual Chicago Innovation Awards. The Chicago Innovation Awards recognize the most innovative new products or services brought to market or public service in the Chicago area each year. The award was presented..

Utility Eyes Burning Thinning Debris to Protect Water Supply

PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona water and power utility is conducting an experiment to add forest-thinning debris to coal burned by an electricity-generating plant. It aims to make thinning more economical to help avoid devastating wildfires producing runoff that would contaminate reservoirs. A tes..

Brooklyn-to-Staten Island Drinking Water Tunnel is Activated

NEW YORK (AP) — A $250 million drinking water tunnel from Brooklyn to Staten Island that had been delayed by Superstorm Sandy has been activated. Mayor Bill de Blasio said Saturday that the tunnel is a critical backup that can deliver up to 150 million gallons of safe drinking water per day t..

Agency to Help Oklahoma Cities Map Water Infrastructure Digitally

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Bert Curtis said the city of Davis‘ water infrastructure is mapped in his head, after working in the public utilities department for more than three decades. Now that map is on the web, and the division director’s employees can find water meters and fire hydrants using an iPad. ..

Water Research Foundation Releases Results from Ongoing Study on Direct Potable Reuse

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has released interim results from the project “Blending Requirements for Water from Direct Potable Reuse Treatment Facilities.” The objective of this project is to provide guidance for the appropriate use of blending as part of a direct potable reuse (DPR) project..

New Chief Technology Officer Joins the Water Council

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and The Water Council have named Dr. David Garman as the new Chief Technology Officer for The Water Council. Dr. Garman will specifically lead The Water Council’s new initiative called the ICE (Innovation Commercialization Exchange) Institute while continu..

Promising Earthquake Resistant Steel Pipe For Water, Oil, Gas

Devastation caused by major earthquakes is well-known – dramatic video clips vividly document the destruction of collapsed buildings, caved-in highways, fallen bridges and debris scattered across the landscape. However, not all damage is visible. Violent shifts underground can rupture water, sewer..

Spartan Installs 54-Inch HDPE Pipe Via HDD In Miami Beach

By Jeff Griffin, Senior Editor A project that involved installing 4,300 feet of 54-inch diameter HDPE pipe in the busy South Beach area of Miami Beach, FL, recently was completed by Spartan Directional LLC. The segment will provide an alternate backup sewer release for South Beach. It is believed ..

Hydromax USA and Detection Services Propose Exclusive Licensing Agreement

Hydromax USA announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Detection Services, Australia, to enter into an exclusive licensing agreement to deliver pipeline inspection services to the water and sewer sectors in the United States, Canada and other selected markets. Under the proposed ag..

Melfred Borzall Expands Network Of Distributors

HDD

Melfred Borzall added five new distributors, making it easier for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) customers to get the tools they need, when they need them. Central and Southern Florida: Galloway Group has industry experts ready to solve HDD challenges. Utah: B & B Supply is equipped for a v..

Power Pipe HD Guarantee Brings Confidence, Reliability

HDD / Pipe

Ditch Witch, a Charles Machine Works Company, reinforces its “We’re In This Together” philosophy with its industry-first replacement program Power Pipe HD. Featuring improved bend radius with the strongest, most wear-resistant tool joints in the industry, Power Pipe HD is a superior pipe designed s..

Keeping HDD Equipment In Top Operating Condition

HDD

By Jeff Griffin, Senior Editor A key to being a successful horizontal directional drilling (HDD) contractor is finishing every project to specifications on or ahead of schedule. To achieve that, drilling equipment must perform efficiently throughout the project without breaking down. Downtime is c..

North America and Europe Expected to Account for over 90 Percent of Investment in Water Management Solutions Through 2025

A recent report from Navigant Research examines the landscape for water management technologies and services in intelligent buildings, including global market forecasts for revenue, through 2025. Investment in water management delivers economic and sustainability benefits, but the pace and scale of..

Electro Scan Announces Integration With Innovyze® InfoMaster for Sewer

Electro Scan Inc. has completed data integration between its flagship sewer condition assessment solution and the Innovyze® InfoMaster for Sewer product. Electro Scan’s breakthrough technology evaluates 360-degrees of a pipe wall to accurately locate and measure defects in gallons per minute (GPM) ..