Underground Infrastructure

UC Survey Reveals Major Trends for Underground Infrastructure

A comprehensive survey of our readers has provided a unique snapshot of market expectations for future underground construction trends. Topping the list: More trenchless applications and HDD.

South Carolina: Google can Pump Drinking Water for Servers

South Carolina is allowing Google to cool its servers by pumping nearly 550 million gallons of water annually from a declining aquifer.

New Jersey Gas Utility Pipeline Project Named Project of the Year

A $900 million gas main upgrade project responsible for upgrading over 500 miles of gas lines has been named as Project of the Year by the Project Management Institute - New Jersey Chapter.

New Orleans Could Get Up to $111 Million Loan for Sewer Upgrades

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering a $111 million loan for the City New Orleans to help upgrade and improve its aging sewer infrastructure.

Utility & Communications Construction Update

The summer construction season of 2019 saw further decline for the Utility & Communications Construction Index (UCCI) companies relative to the S&P 500. From June through September, the S&P 500 is up over 3 percent, while the UCCI had declines of approximately 1.4 percent.

Queens, New York Breaks Ground on $139 Million Upgrade Project

A New York neighborhood has broken ground on a $139 million renovation across 25 blocks which will include, among other things, several miles of sewer and water infrastructure upgrades.

Plaquemines Parish Gets $4 million for Water Infrastructure

The federal government is giving one Louisiana parish a $4 million grant to help improve the water infrastructure.

Making the Grade: Tracking On-Grade Bores

Two 300-foot bores, 17 feet deep, through 44,000 psi of basalt – all at a 0.75 percent grade. It’s just another day’s work for Logan Kallwick and his crews.

Michigan Offers Grants for Rural Industry, Infrastructure

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is offering grants supporting land-based industries and infrastructure that benefit rural communities.

Gas Explosion Hits Office, Shopping Complex

A powerful natural gas explosion badly damaged a Maryland office complex and shopping center Sunday morning, ripping away part of the facade and exposing twisted metal, authorities said.

CUIRE Laboratory Receives a 330-kip Actuator

In February, CUIRE purchased a 330-kip actuator from MTS Company for its soil box testing of underground pipes. This actuator will be used for the NCHRP SAPL Project to develop structural design methodology for Spray Applied Pipe Liners (SAPLs) in gravity stormwater conveyance conduits through actual size soil box testing.

New Publication Promotes SUE Understanding, Up-to-Date Practices

Subsurface utility engineering (SUE) is ideally knowing as much as possible about a subsurface project prior to starting the design process. SUE incorporates existing and emerging technology to identify, characterize, and map underground utility facilities.

Aegion Corporation Awarded $5.7 Million Wastewater Pipeline Rehabilitation Contract in Montgomery, Alabama

Aegion Corporation has announced that its subsidiary, Insituform Technologies, LLC, has been awarded a $5.7 million wastewater pipeline rehabilitation contract in Montgomery, Alabama.

Utility & Communications Construction Update

Mixed revenue and profitability results marked the second quarter of 2019 for the utility and communications industry, particularly among the publicly traded members of the Utility & Communications Construction Index (UCCI). Quanta Services continues to increase both its revenue and profitability. UCCI companies are near all-time highs of revenue, but experienced declines in profit margins during the quarter.

Worker Rescued After Trench Collapse in Western Michigan

A construction worker has been hospitalized after being rescued from a trench that collapsed in western Michigan.

EPA Provides $2.6 Billion in New Funding for Water Infrastructure

New funding will assist states in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 with improving drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

PG&E Commits to Underground Power Lines as Part of Wildfire Rebuild

PG&E announced today that it will put all electric distribution power lines underground in the Town of Paradise and some of the surrounding areas as the town rebuilds from the Camp Fire.

Mike Rowe Helps Launch National Excavator Initiative

The importance of the pipes, wires, and cables buried underground that support our daily lives is being “unearthed” with the help of Executive Producer, Host, and Author Mike Rowe and his animated alter ego micro Mike Rowe. Known from the hit TV series Dirty Jobs, Deadliest Catch, and his groundbreaking Facebook show Returning the Favor, Rowe is also CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, a nonprofit organization that calls attention to America's skilled trade workforce and strives to close the skills gap.

Steering Through Sandy Soils to Upgrade City Sewer System

The economy in Garden City, Kan., is strong with the recent opening of a Dairy Farmers of America plant. Approximately 4 million pounds of milk from regional farmers makes its way to the plant each day, which has led to expansion for many other companies throughout the area. To keep up with the expected growth from the dairy industry and retail stores being constructed nearby, Garden City is upgrading existing utilities to ensure they are prepared to handle current and future needs.

New INGAA Report Highlights Importance of Natural Gas to a Lower-Carbon Economy

Natural gas will remain a significant contributor to the energy portfolio and to economic growth in the United States over the next two decades, playing a key role in meeting low-carbon goals, a new study commissioned by the INGAA Foundation finds.

Utility & Communications Construction Update

Strong revenue and profitability marked the first quarter of 2019 for the utility and communications industry, particularly among the publicly traded members of the Utility & Communications Construction Index (UCCI).

Fort Wayne Announces $100 Million in Utility Infrastructure Investments

City officials in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Monday announced plans to invest $100 million in city neighborhoods for stormwater protection, sanitary sewer improvements, and water pipe upgrades.

Lawsuit Filed Against Firms in Michigan Sewer Line Collapse

A lawsuit has been filed against three companies in connection with a sewer line collapse north of Detroit that cost $75 million to repair.

West Virginia Governor Announces Infrastructure Grants

Gov. Jim Justice says West Virginia has secured $3.4 million in federal grants to help improve broadband and wastewater infrastructure in McDowell County.

Miami gets $99.7 Million Federal Loan for Wastewater Upgrade

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is providing the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department with a $99.7 million federal loan to build 14 injection wells designed to stop wastewater from going into the Atlantic Ocean.

EPA Announces New WIFIA Funding for Water Infrastructure Projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the availability of funding to provide an estimated $6 billion in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans in 2019.

Gas Distribution Replacement Work Continues Strong Pace

As recently as 2017, the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) estimated 30,000 miles of cast-iron pipe still carried gas in the United States, with the highest percentage of these mains located in older eastern cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Call or Click for Safe Digging

Calling 811 before any digging begins starts the process of identifying and marking buried utility lines in the United States and preventing the damage, service disruption, injuries, potential fines and costly repairs that result from unintentionally hitting them.

Infrastructure Funding Chances, Opportunities Looking Up in 2019

It's uncertain whether infrastructure legislation will be approved in 2019, but the good news is that any bill will likely include water projects. This was not the case last year, when spending talk centered on roads and bridges instead of water and sewer construction.

22nd Annual Municipal Sewer/Water Infrastructure Survey

Underground Construction's exclusive annual survey revealed stronger budgets for many cities and growing expectations for a prolonged, stronger economy – but municipal personnel remain cautious.