Technology
Microbial corrosion threatens concrete sewer pipes, new solution targets bacteria
Microbial corrosion is accelerating damage in concrete sewer systems, but new antimicrobial solutions are being developed to target the bacteria driving the problem.
Rehab tech spotlight: Lining systems
New lining systems are advancing trenchless rehabilitation with faster curing times, improved corrosion resistance and expanded applications across pipelines, conduits and structures.
AI drives billions in investment for gas distribution pipeline upgrades
Artificial intelligence is driving billions in investment as utilities upgrade aging gas distribution pipelines with real-time monitoring, leak detection and predictive maintenance technologies.
Jacobs launches AI tool to help cities predict flooding, manage drainage systems
Jacobs has introduced an AI-based platform designed to help utilities and cities forecast flooding, manage stormwater systems and improve emergency response.
New Utility OX platform connects field, office data for utility contractors
Utility OX has launched a platform aimed at improving real-time visibility across utility construction jobs. The system connects field and office data to streamline workflows and support faster decision-making.
Texas811 launches real-time excavation detection to prevent utility strikes
Texas811 has launched a fiber-optic sensing system that detects excavation activity in real time, helping utilities identify unauthorized digging and prevent underground damage.
Griffolyn pre-liners improve CIPP performance in pipe rehabilitation
Griffolyn pre-liners are designed to improve CIPP pipe rehabilitation by preventing liner damage, reducing resin washout and enhancing performance in challenging underground conditions.
When and why manhole rehabilitation is critical to sewer system performance
Manhole rehabilitation plays a key role in reducing infiltration, preventing structural failures and improving long-term sewer system performance.
Exodigo secures Texas DIR contract for AI subsurface mapping, GIS services
Exodigo has secured a Texas DIR contract to provide AI-driven subsurface mapping, GIS and digital surveying services to public agencies, streamlining access to underground utility data.
PipeSense introduces real-time pig tracking system for pipelines
PipeSense has launched PipeTrack, a real-time pipeline pig tracking system that uses pressure monitoring and AI-driven analysis to improve visibility, reduce downtime and enhance safety during pipeline pigging operations.
Flowfinity launches IoT monitoring platform for municipal infrastructure
Flowfinity has launched its Streams platform to help utilities and municipalities integrate IoT sensor monitoring with operational workflows for improved infrastructure management and regulatory compliance.
New Purdue GPR model could reduce underground pipeline strikes
Purdue University engineers have developed a new ground-penetrating radar model that improves detection of underground pipelines and utilities, helping reduce excavation strikes and improve infrastructure mapping.
China deploys AI-powered ‘smart brain’ system for tunnel boring machines
China has developed an AI-powered “smart brain” system for tunnel boring machines that predicts geological risks and adjusts excavation settings in real time, potentially reshaping underground infrastructure construction.
The digital transformation of underground infrastructure monitoring
AI, IoT sensors and fiber-optic monitoring are reshaping how utilities manage buried assets. New digital tools promise real-time visibility, predictive maintenance and smarter risk management for aging underground infrastructure.
New products for underground utility and construction work
UI’s January New Products highlights new equipment and tools from Vermeer, Komatsu and General Machine Products, including a mobile equipment management app, a multifunction excavator and a fiber blowing workstation.
Raising QA/QC standards for in-building CIPP projects
Improving QA/QC documentation for in-building CIPP projects is becoming an industry expectation, helping contractors reduce risk, improve transparency and strengthen client confidence.
Florida water pipeline uses curved steel casing in microtunneling first
A Florida water transmission project is using curved steel casing to navigate constrained underground corridors without adding shafts. The approach offers a new option for microtunneling in dense utility environments where straight-line alignments are difficult.
ASTM F1216 updates reshape pressure pipe design for CIPP rehabilitation
Recent revisions to ASTM F1216 update how cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) liners are designed for pressure applications, correcting long-standing assumptions around hole spanning, internal pressure resistance, and groundwater loading.
Vermeer launches mobile app for fleet, equipment management
Vermeer has launched a new mobile app that lets contractors manage equipment, monitor telematics data and connect with dealers directly from the job site.
Vermeer expands global lineup with Tecniwell high-pressure HDD pumps
Vermeer has expanded its global partnership with Tecniwell to distribute high-pressure HDD pumps through its worldwide dealer network, offering contractors complete equipment packages backed by local service and support.
Stopping hydrate plugs: How operators can pinpoint pipeline blockages and restore flow
Hydrate plugs can halt pipeline operations and raise safety risks. This guide explains how high-frequency pressure analytics and AI help operators locate obstructions quickly, target remediation, and cut downtime in midstream systems.
Maumee, Ohio, to rehabilitate 27,000 feet of sewer lines with CIPP
Maumee, Ohio, has opened bidding for a $4.3 million sewer rehabilitation project to upgrade 27,000 feet of sanitary pipelines in its uptown district, with work funded in part by state and EPA programs.
UV curing technology advances trenchless sewer rehabilitation efficiency
UV curing is transforming trenchless sewer rehabilitation with faster, safer, and more sustainable pipe repair methods. Learn how new UV machine technology is reshaping underground infrastructure maintenance.
ASU researchers use robotics, AI to revolutionize pipeline inspection safety
Arizona State University engineers are developing advanced robotics and AI to inspect aging fuel pipelines, targeting unpiggable segments and improving safety for communities nationwide.
Robots and AI drive next-generation tunnel construction in Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s CEDD is transforming tunnel construction with AI and robotics. Autonomous inspection and drilling systems on the Trunk Road T2 project have boosted efficiency by 40% and reduced labor by 60%, setting a new benchmark for smart infrastructure.
Tetra Tech to oversee groundwater monitoring for UK’s Thames Tideway Tunnel
Tetra Tech was selected by Tideway to lead groundwater monitoring for the 15.5-mile Thames Tideway Tunnel in London under a $3.2 million contract aimed at reducing sewer overflows and improving water quality in the River Thames.
Washington adopts data-driven tools to plan underground power corridors
Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council is using WSP’s new Spatial Decision Support mapping platform to modernize siting and permitting for high-voltage transmission lines, including underground infrastructure.
Corpus Christi begins boring work for underground fiber installation on Yorktown Boulevard
Charter-Spectrum contractors kicked off underground fiber installation along Yorktown Boulevard in Corpus Christi on Oct. 15, with lane closures expected near Brentridge Drive through the end of the month.
New Orleans expands use of trenchless technology to modernize underground pipes
New Orleans is expanding the use of trenchless pipe rehabilitation to repair underground water and sewer lines more efficiently, reducing disruption and speeding up infrastructure work across the city.
Topcon, Amberg launch integrated solutions for tunnel construction and surveying
Topcon and Amberg Technologies unveiled new integrated tunnel construction solutions at INTERGEO 2025, combining advanced positioning and measurement systems to improve accuracy, automation, and data workflows in underground infrastructure projects.
- 27 pipeline safety violations tied to deadly Pa. chocolate factory explosion
- Fatal trench collapse in Mass. leads to $4.6 million OSHA penalty, dozens of violations
- OSHA investigates fatal trench collapse at Conroe construction site
- Final Lake Erie sewer tunnel project set to begin after decades-long $3 billion effort
- 11-mile Texas pipeline replacement upgrades 72-in. PCCP to 102-in. steel
- Alaska fiber buildout to expand broadband in rural communities
- 11-mile Texas pipeline replacement upgrades 72-in. PCCP to 102-in. steel
- Fatal trench collapse in Mass. leads to $4.6 million OSHA penalty, dozens of violations
- Texas811 launches real-time excavation detection to prevent utility strikes
- Race Communications breaks ground on Bakersfield fiber network