Utility Infrastructure
Water bills for St. Louis residents could rise by 20% due to Board of Aldermen proposal
There is a chance that water costs for St. Louis households might increase significantly. Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer of the 1st Ward submitted a measure on Friday that would raise water costs by around 20%.
California water officials to replace 500 feet of sewer pipe in San Juan Capistrano
(UI) — From June 5 to 18, the Santa Margarita Water District will repair 500 feet of sewer pipes on Los Rios Street as part of San Juan Capistrano's sewer upgrade plans.
Trenchless methods: Trenchers remain valuable for utility construction
(UI) — In the 1970s, new residential developments were being built with all utilities underground. Of course, water, sewer, and gas lines always had been buried, but now telephone and electric dissertation wires were, too, as would cable television services that would come later.
CIGMAT 2023: Infrastructure, energy, geotechnical, flooding, sustainability issues
(UI) — The 28th “Infrastructure, Energy, Geotechnical, Flooding and Sustainable Issues Related to Houston and Other Major Cities,” organized by the Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology (CIGMAT) and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston on was held back in March, at the University of Houston Hilton.
Info-Tech: Digitalization for utilities is a “double-edged” sword regarding cybersecurity
To protect the organization from cyberattacks, security leaders are expected to bridge the gap between strategy development and tactical implementation. A report from Info-Tech Research Group provides an overview of the current cybersecurity landscape for the utilities sector.
Peak Utility undergoes corporate realignment to improve utility, telecom services
As part of Peak’s growth strategy, the new structure will align the company’s businesses by region to better meet client needs and provide its customers with comprehensive utility and telecommunications services.
Common Ground Alliance: 55% of underground utility damage caused by professional contractors
The most common root cause of these damages was “no notification made to the 811 center,” meaning the damage could have been avoided if excavators contacted 811 to have utility lines marked prior to breaking ground.
Biden approves federal disaster relief for utilities in Vermont communities affected by winter storm
On Tuesday Gov. Phil Scott and the three members of the state’s congressional delegation said a preliminary damage assessment by the Federal Emergency Management Agency identified nearly $3 million in eligible costs from public and non-profit utilities in communities recovering from the storm.
Ditch Witch unveils largest all-terrain direction drill to optimize underground construction productivity
The AT120 gives operators the power and stability needed for efficient fiber, pipeline and utility installation through hard rock.
RodRadar signs $1.4 million deal with Sitech Tejas
(UI) — RodRadar, developers of groundbreaking imaging technology for detecting underground utility infrastructure during excavation, has entered into a $1.4 million agreement with SITECH Tejas, a HOLT company. The deal will see the North American dealer add RodRadar’s debut product, LDR Excavate, to its portfolio of heavy civil construction solutions.
1 person trapped when utility poles topple outside Boston
Seven utility poles along a suburban Boston street toppled into the road on Wednesday morning, trapping one driver, police said. Police received more than two dozen 911 calls when the poles came down along Montvale Avenue in Stoneham just north of Boston at about 9:30 a.m., police said in a statement.
Registration open for 17th ASCE UESI/BAMI-I Utility Investigation School
(UI) — The Buried Asset Management Institute – International (BAMI-I) and ASCE’S Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI) Pittsburgh chapter have teamed to conduct the 17th ASCE UESI/BAMI-I UIS School in 2023.
Common Ground Alliance issues “50 in 5” challenge to cut damages to buried utilities in half by 2028
(UI) – Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the national nonprofit trade association, has issued its “50 in 5” industry challenge to stakeholders with a goal of reducing damages to critical underground utilities by 50% in five years.
PG&E curtails plan to bury over 3,500 miles of power lines in effort to reduce wildfires
(UI) — In order to reduce the risk of wildfires in the western United States, California-based electric utility and natural gas supplier PG&E Inc. has scaled back its plans to lay over 3,600 miles of power lines underground through 2026. Beginning in June, PG&E will be tried for manslaughter in connection with fire fatalities allegedly resulting from its overhead power lines, which were blamed for the deadliest wildfire in California history in 2018.
Geophysical Survey Systems unveils ground penetrating radar system for underground utilities
The UtilityScan DF is an ideal choice for identifying buried utilities at multiple depths. Both metallic and non-metallic targets can be identified quickly and easily, and GSSI’s patented LineTrac technology gives users the ability to detect AC power and induced RF energy present in buried utilities.
Reconstructing Utility Construction: How New Equipment Attachments Address an Infrastructure Crisis
(UI) — Utility construction is a crucial piece of addressing the infrastructure crisis around the world. The origin of utilities may bring to mind grandiose stories like Thomas Edison failing 1,000 times in his pursuit to invent the lightbulb before succeeding.
USIC names Richard Batelaan as new chief operating officer
(UI) — USIC, the leader in underground infrastructure damage prevention, has announced the appointment of Richard Batelaan as chief operating officer. Batelaan will report directly to president and CEO Mike Ryan and will lead the company’s operations, which span 48 states with a field workforce including over 10,000 locate technicians.
Train derailment prompts water utility to take precautions
A West Virginia water utility is enhancing its water treatment process as a precaution following the derailment of a train hauling chemicals that later sent up a toxic plume in Ohio.
Pittsburgh sees surge in service disconnections, number of utility customers struggling to pay bills
(UI) — According to data gathered by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission over the past year, both the number of utility customers in Pennsylvania who are having financial difficulties making their payments and the number of service disconnections that are not related to payments have grown.
Utility & Communications 2023 Construction Outlook, Update
(UI) — The captain of a large aircraft carrier sees what he believes to be the light of an oncoming vessel off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The captain of the ship then radios the vessel, urgently saying to divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision with the ship.
Power failures amplify calls for utility to rethink gas
A federal utility's decision to resort to rolling blackouts after coal and natural gas units went offline during dangerously cold conditions has intensified questions about the Tennessee Valley Authority's recent decision to double down on fossil fuels.
Latest DIRT Report Indicates Utility Damage Maintains Incident Levels
(UC) — While ongoing programs are in place to reduce accidental damage to buried utility infrastructure, damages continue to happen, usually during construction or repair work, when interrupting service, and sometimes posing the risk of injury and death.
2022 Utility & Communications Construction Update
(UC) — Interpreting the direction of the economy in the middle of the volatility of the past three months is a confusing and uncertain exercise. However, after discussing the various scenarios with business owners, manufacturers and researching teams, my view is not whether the economy is in a recession but, rather, how long the downturn will last and what the impact might look like.
South Dakota natural resources department to provide $167 million for infrastructure projects
(UC) — A new drinking water well, connection piping, sanitary sewer repairs and water line replacements are among the projects that will be funded by $167.2 million in grants and loans from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Water.org unveils $1 billion plan for water access in Africa, Asia, Latin America
The Water.org Water & Climate Fund plans to use $50 million in philanthropic money to create a billion-dollar investment portfolio to help bring new water delivery and wastewater treatment projects to underserved communities, then use those communities’ utility bills to fund further projects.
Explainer: Mississippi capital’s water infrastructure problems extensive
Mississippi’s capital city is struggling with the near collapse of its water system, prompting emergency declarations from President Joe Biden and Gov. Tate Reeves.
Omaha biogas conditioning project hopes to make wastewater profitable
Omaha, Nebraska’s city council approved a $20 million Biogas Conditioning Project that could turn the city’s wastewater into a revenue source when complete.
Newsline
Tampa Planning $200 Million Water Infrastructure Repair Project, Detroit-area Utility Denies Responsibility for 2021 Storm Flooding, ASCE Publishes Updated Utility Standards, Navajo Leaders Finalize Plans for $215 Million in Water Improvements and more.
Political, logistical complications prevent Idaho cities from accepting infrastructure funding
City leaders in Idaho say they could use funding for water, wastewater, broadband and other infrastructure projects, but for a variety of reasons, 16 Idaho cities have rejected a combined $700,000 in federal coronavirus rescue money.
Federal program to help Alaska villages install broadband infrastructure
Alaska will receive at least $100 million through a new federal program to expand high-speed internet to underserved rural areas and promote workforce development, officials said.
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Lynchburg, Va., breaks ground on largest-ever Blackwater CSO tunnel project
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- The EPA announces $6.2 billion in funding for Iowa and Kansas water infrastructure