Magazine
Russ Ford named 2024 MVP of underground infrastructure industry
(UI) — Russ Ford, a noted infrastructure expert, has been selected as the Most Valuable Professional of the underground infrastructure industry for 2024. Ford, a senior associate at Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc., will be honored at a special luncheon on March 19 at the annual Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC).
CGA’s GIS case study highlighting value in facility mapping information
(UI) — Common Ground Alliance (CGA) recently released a groundbreaking case study as part of its Next Practices Initiative titled “PILOT: Improving Efficiency and Reducing Damages by Providing Ticket-Level Visualizations of Underground Facilities to Designers, Locators and Excavators.”
CGA’s DIRT report correlates infrastructure investment with increased excavation damage
(UI) — Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the national nonprofit trade association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them and their communities, recently announced the findings from its 2022 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT). It revealed concerning increases across key damage indicators.
Newsline
Pacific Gas & Electric — one of the nation’s largest utilities whose equipment has sparked some of California’s deadliest wildfires — wants to bury power lines in some of its most at-risk areas to prevent destructive blazes like the 2018 Paradise fire that killed 85 people.
Underground Infrastructure Awards ’24 finalists announced
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.
Innovative solution for managing I&I challenges in sanitary districts
(UI) — A major challenge sanitary districts everywhere face is recurring and growing inflow and infiltration (I&I), from substantial amounts of groundwater and stormwater entering the sewer during periods of heavy rain. This issue is of paramount importance, as heavy rainfall can cause the intrusion of large volumes of groundwater and stormwater into the sewer system, overwhelming pump stations and treatment plants, and even causing costly sewer overflows.
Asset management: Working with Duke’s ‘like having a crystal ball’
(UI) — When optimizing sewer and wastewater treatment systems, it can be overwhelming to look at more than 100 miles of sewer pipe funneling heavy flow during a rain event and wonder where that excess flow is coming from.
Touring NASSCO’s new sewergrouting.com website
Information about what is believed to be the oldest trenchless technology has just gotten easier to find. ICGC – NASSCO’s Infiltration Control Grouting Committee –has just completed a full revision of its website found at SewerGrouting.com.
Warren Environmental relocates to Georgia, other rehab news
Warren Environmental and Coatings LLC, a leading manufacturer of proprietary epoxy products and patented application technologies for water and wastewater infrastructure throughout the U.S., is relocating from Massachusetts to Georgia.
Utility and communications: Construction update
With technology on full display at the Underground Infrastructure Conference, coupled with the ongoing labor challenges throughout the industry, artificial intelligence (AI) has been on the minds of contractors and investors alike.
Groundbreaking advances made with EPBM tunnel constructed below sea level
(UI) — Houston Public Works launched the Surface Water Transmission Program (SWTP) to comply with an HGSD mandate. The 66-inch, 50-year-old pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) is the primary source for the western part of the city, and its shutdown would impact the system's capacity.
McElroy expands TracStar iSeries lineup with 412i and 618i models
(UI) — McElroy has extended its TracStar iSeries family with the introduction of two new models: the TracStar 412i and TracStar 618i. These additions enhance the already impressive lineup, which includes the TracStar 630i, 900i, and 1200i.
Inside infrastructure: GIS offers best way to improve underground facility maps
At a time when America is making huge investments in underground infrastructure markets, damage prevention to underground facilities is fundamental and all stakeholders must ensure that their responsibilities are met.
Biden administration wants to count downstream GHG emissions when FERC considers pipeline, power projects
(UI) — The President Biden administration announced its latest effort to throw a wrench in pipeline construction. The Biden Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) wants to rollback Trump administration pro-pipeline changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
New Products
DEVELON introduced new innovative technologies on its next-generation-7 Series wheel loaders in North America that help improve operator productivity, visibility and safety.
Editor’s Log: Who’s behind those pearls of wisdom (or that poison pen)?
(UI) — In the modern world, there is a mad rush to expand and embrace all things digital. I would venture to say no industry has been impacted as directly as has media. Gone are the days of print newspapers and magazines dominating media. And while print isn’t gone, it has largely been relegated to second-class status in lieu of smart phones, tablets, laptops, et. al.
New products
Discover the latest developments in the underground infrastructure industry from Vanair ThermalGuard, Cardinal Wireless, Koroyd and more!
Underground construction enters the virtual reality universe
(UI) — The Super Witch is incredibly popular, and at CONEXPO, the Metaverse offered a chance for people to put on the VR headset, pick up the corresponding hand controllers, and find themselves inside the cab.
Unlock the secrets to success in underground infrastructure at UIC!
Join your peers at the Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC) in Oklahoma City, March 19–21, 2024, for an incredible opportunity to learn, network and elevate your career in this lucrative industry.
Newsline
(UI) — A California-based company was fined $5 million for illegally dumping wastewater in Mississippi; Three people were found dead in a Texas underground tank, with sewer gas suspected as the cause; Caltech research reveals underground fiber optic cables as effective earthquake detectors; and the latest industry developments.
Ensuring quality control and proper storage of cured-in-place pipe lining
(UI) — Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) has revolutionized the rehabilitation of underground pipelines, offering a cost-effective and efficient solution. What was once considered an alternative pipe replacement solution, CIPP is increasingly becoming the accepted go-to pipe rehabilitation method.
Directional drilling: DDURT construction tackles treacherous ground conditions to connect rural communities
In 2016, Thomas Rathbone enlisted the help of lifelong friends to start a utility construction company that specializes in horizontal directional drilling (HDD). Connecting communities with fiber for high-speed internet access is the sole focus.
Let your fluid cleaning system be the hero
(UI) — The role of drilling fluid on an HDD jobsite is a big one. It acts as a conveyor for removing solids from the bore hole, lubricates downhole tooling, cools electronics and stabilizes the hole. Keeping it clean and usable is an important job, and an essential one for contractors to stay profitable.
Directional drilling: HDD Hall of Fame Class of ’24 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 2024.
Trenchless Technology Center continues to prosper, provide industry research
(UI) — The Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) at Louisiana Tech University had another busy year and its Industry Advisory Board (IAB) again hit an all-time high in 2023. Research activities were in full swing and in-person training even came back, with forums in Boston and Houston.
Editor's log: Liberty in retreat
(UI) — The modern environmental movement is so concerned with forcing its ideology upon the world that exploring and legislating such nonsensical paths are forcing us to toss aside common sense.
First aqueduct water pipeline rehabilitated with geopolymer for SDCWA
(UI) — When the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) inspected its First Aqueduct water conveyance system in Valley Center, engineers identified that rehabilitation was required. Groundwater was infiltrating three tunnels within the system and rehabilitation was required to maintain the tunnels’ structural integrity and extend their service life.
Tech Tips: Force main rehabilitation
(UI) — Force mains, also called rising mains in the United Kingdom, are low pressure pipelines that lift the sewage from one location to another by pumping the sewage under positive pressure.
Unveiling the future: Introducing the Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC)
(UI) — Step into the future of underground infrastructure at the Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC) in Oklahoma City from Tuesday, March 19 to Thursday, March 21, 2024!
Currently at CUIRE – Annual update of research center’s activities
(UI) — Pipe deterioration is a complex process, involving a combination of aging, chemical and environmental factors. Polymeric SAPL is a new application to structurally renew deteriorated gravity and pressure pipelines and can be applied to a wide range of concrete, masonry, corrugated metal, and steel pipelines.
- DeLa Express seeks FERC approval for Permian-to-Louisiana gas pipeline project
- OSHA penalizes Houston contractor over safety violations resulting in worker's death
- Fiber infrastructure has no known expiration date, Fiber Broadband Association research concludes
- Nevada OSHA fines Elon Musk's Boring Company over safety violations in Vegas tunnel project
- Damage prevention and safety: Turning awareness into action
- Ditch Witch 1030
- Michigan lawmakers introduce bills to create septic codes throughout the state
- Indiana American Water to gain 8,000 water customers with Silver Creek Water acquisition
- Arkansas governor allocates $42 million for water infrastructure projects
- Federal judge finds Flint, Mich, in contempt over lead water pipe crisis