Features
5 ways to extend hydro excavator life
Construction season has arrived, and hydro excavators are a critical tool for unearthing utility lines without damaging them, trenching and various other applications. A high return on this machinery investment requires giving time and attention to proper care of your safe digging equipment.
First look: PipeSense uses pressure waves for leak detection
Pipelines, especially those that carry water, can be hundreds of miles long – so it may not always be simple to know for certain that a leak has occurred, let alone pinpoint the problem.
Inside infrastructure: Energy permitting reform legislation once again on the table
The need to update and improve the arduous process of obtaining the permits needed to get critical infrastructure projects off the ground is a longtime priority among supporters of American energy, especially advocates of infrastructure transporting fossil fuels.
Tennessee pipeline gets initial FERC approval despite environmental concerns
FERC has given a preliminary green light to East Tennessee Natural Gas to build 122 miles of 30-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline, providing about 300,000 dekatherms per day of firm natural gas transportation to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant.
Washington Watch: Congress stalls on pipeline safety bill as PHMSA nears key rule decisions
(UI) — As Congress heads toward the end of this session, presumably in late September, the two, different bipartisan pipeline safety bills passed by two House committees appear to be going nowhere fast.
Remembering Bob Affholder: A legacy of passion and innovation in the CIPP, tunneling industries
(UI) — Robert (Bob) Wilson Affholder, a true industry giant by any measure or perspective, passed away in late July after a brilliant career that amazed, impressed and established his footprint upon essence of both cured-in-place pipe rehabilitation and the tunneling industry.
International report: Germany accelerates plans for energy development
Germany plans to actively accelerate the development and modernization of its underground energy infrastructure in the near future.
Utility & communications construction update shows strong market
Across the underground utility infrastructure segment, companies are performing quite well in the power, gas distribution, and water and wastewater construction segments. Strong investment by investor-owned utilities, the federal government, states and municipalities led to quality project opportunities that brought significant growth to the contractors serving those markets.
Japan plans to accelerate underground construction activities
Japan plans to accelerate its underground construction activities in years to come, paying a particular focus to the renewal of aging infrastructure, while enhancing its disaster response capabilities and reducing construction costs.
Emergency rehabilitation brings back Baltimore’s Back River outfall interceptor
Baltimore's Back River Outfall Interceptor underwent emergency rehabilitation due to severe damage and deterioration. The project involved advanced techniques and collaboration between Boyer Inc. and Ulliman Schutte Construction to restore the 1907 structure.
Purdue University students gain industry insights at UIC 2024
Held in Oklahoma City, the annual conference provides a platform for attendees to share the latest research findings, technological advancements and best practices, thereby promoting the development of the underground infrastructure industry.
Rehab Technology selection guide
This comprehensive listing provides an invaluable resource in researching availability and specifications of key rehabilitation equipment/materials for the underground infrastructure industry.
Drilling under the LSU campus
A groundbreaking project at LSU utilizes horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology to install two 1,600-foot HDPE pipes, modernizing the campus's chilled water supply and return systems while minimizing surface disruption.
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.
Tech Tips: Documenting quality lateral lining installations
(UI) — With CIPP lining of mainline sewers becoming more and more accepted by system owners and utilities, greater attention is being paid to the opportunities to reduce infiltration and inflow (I&I) by utilizing CIPP lining for laterals.
26th annual directional drilling survey: More fuel on the fire
As the fiber market continues to burn bright, so does the utilization of horizontal directional drilling. The small rig market’s appetite and need for HDD is again demonstrating remarkable consistency in 2024 according to the exclusive results of the annual Underground Infrastructure HDD Survey.
Restoring power to Minnesota’s northwest angle
To reconnect the northernmost community of the continental U.S. and surrounding areas, the REC team had to plan and execute a project that included complicated underwater installations and transporting the necessary drills, cables and parts to complete the job on the various islands.
Florida roots run deep for underground projects, storm preparations
SSUP focuses on neighborhood lines, typically located in customers’ backyards, where lines are most susceptible to trees and other vegetation. So far, FPL has finished more than 2,000 neighborhood projects across the state and undergrounded more than 150 neighborhood lines in Charlotte County.
CIGMAT holds 29th annual conference
More than 300 participants and 14 invited speakers attended the the University of Houston’s Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,'s 29th annual conference and exhibition, representing owners, consulting engineers, material suppliers, contractors and academia.
Equappment: App built for better HDD, utility construction production
For three generations, Melfred Borzall’s focus has been on enabling better and smarter ways of installing underground utilities.
Fusion in paradise
Just south of Miami, in the tropical paradise of the Florida Keys, a McElroy TracStar 412 spent most of winter 2023 onsite, fusing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for a massive residential water line to service one of the area’s gated resorts.
CIPP rehabilitation of pressurized pipelines
It is well known that CIPP has been around for over 50 years, primarily being used to rehabilitate gravity sewer pipelines. In the 1980s CIPP was introduced for low pressure sewer applications, and late in the 1990s began to emerge for water main and higher-pressure force main rehabilitations.
Trenchers: Unsung hero of utility installation
Trenching, with its versatility and adaptability, remains a vital method for utility installation across various terrains and conditions. The wide array of trenching machines and attachments available today allows for efficient and effective utility installations, from small residential projects to large-scale industrial applications.
Sewer maintenance: Myth-busting, best-practice training
Sewer maintenance is an ongoing challenge for cities and municipalities. Moreover, gaps in best-practice training can cost public works departments unnecessary time and expense in labor, water and energy costs when cleaning sewer lines.
Harnessing advanced technologies for underground engineering success
Underground construction endeavors are intricate, demanding meticulous planning, execution and risk management. With billions of dollars invested and millions impacted annually, the stakes are monumental.
Insights and trends: Latest developments in utility and communications construction
The beginning of 2024 is shaping up to be just as dynamic as we had expected going into the year. The election stage is set for November, the Federal Reserve is trying to thread the needle between fighting inflation and making the “soft landing,” and most distressing, we all witnessed a terrible tragedy in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Inside infrastructure: Safety debate continues to address new, controversial subjects
Every four or five years, multiple committees in Congress undertake the responsibility of reauthorizing the nation’s pipeline safety program and the federal agency that oversees it.
American Augers’ catch-rig technology speeds up intersect drilling process
To streamline the collaboration of two HDD rigs efficiently working together, American Augers developed what it calls “catch-rig” technology. The system is ideally suited for river crossings and long-distance bores that require a lot of time, machines and prep work on the trail pipe at the exit hole.
Fiber Broadband Association reports NA hit highest annual FTTH growth record
The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) recently announced results of its 2023 North America Fiber Provider Survey. Performed by RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting (RVA), the research concludes that 2023 set a new record for the highest annual FTTH growth; nine million homes were newly passed by network operators last year alone, according to Mike Render, RVA founder and CEO.
First look: Vermeer introduces RTX1250 trencher
Vermeer introduced an improved version of the RTX1250 127-horsepower ride-on trencher tractor that accepts multiple attachments. This updated model has received significant improvements, including enhancements to the tracks, axles and plow retention pins, to optimize productivity in challenging working conditions.
- Fatal Shawnee trench collapse linked to Oklahoma contractor’s repeated safety violations, OSHA reports
- Construction worker dies after being found unconscious in trench box
- Fiber Broadband Association research highlights importance of streamlining underground locate process amid workforce dilemma
- Explosion in underground PG&E vault leaves one dead in Richmond, Calif.
- Tunnel boring machine ‘Clack-A-Mole’ nears one-third completion in Oregon outfall project
- Wisconsin proposes new PFAS drinking water standards to align with federal rules
- Elgin, Ill., joins EPA drinking water initiative to accelerate lead pipe replacement
- GasTracker Accurately Locates Plastic Gas Pipes
- Florence, S.C., to fund $537 million sewer, water upgrade with bonds and 5% rate hike
- Union County, Ga., breaks ground on $20.5 million fiber broadband expansion project