Utility Infrastructure

Analysis: Laura Reminds of Louisiana’s Fragile Water Systems

The high water and flooding in Louisiana from Hurricane Laura last month brought into sharp relief the fragility of the state's water systems, three years after the state's drinking water infrastructure received nearly a failing grade.

Fiber Project Pushes Through Difficult Ground Conditions, Environmental Challenges

On its own merit, a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) shot spanning more than five football fields long is a substantial task. But when you add in both volcanic and clay ground conditions, a tight deadline and an environmentally protected job site, it becomes all the more challenging.

Granite Awarded 5 Sewer Rehab Contracts in Chicago

Construction firm Granite has been awarded five sewer rehabilitation projects with the City of Chicago, part of the "Windy City's" $8 billion plan to upgrade its aging wastewater infrastructure.

Poised for Progress: Prescott One Step Closer to Centralized Wastewater System

The popular adage “out with the old, in with the new” is often associated with enthusiasm and fanfare. Yet, in the world of sewer replacement and expansion, the true test of a successful project is having the work go almost unnoticed by the public.

San Diego $3 Billion Water Project Receives Permit to Begin Phase 1

A $3 billion water infrastructure project has been granted the necessary permit to begin work on Phase 1.

States Rush to Utilize CARES Act Funding for Fiber Infrastructure Ahead of Deadline

States eager to build out their fiber broadband infrastructure to rural areas are rushing to take advantage of funding from the CARES act passed earlier this year before the end-of-year deadline.

Aegion Awarded Wastewater Rehabilitation Contract in Maryland

Insituform, a subsidiary of Aegion, announced it has been awarded a wastewater infrastructure rehabilitation contract in Maryland.

U.S. Department of Energy Announces $33 Million for Natural Gas Pipeline Retrofitting Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced over $30 million in funding to develop technology to rehabilitate aging natural gas pipelines.

North Carolina Utilities Told to Stop Disconnections Through August

Regulators in North Carolina have instructed the state's large, for-profit utility companies to continue delaying disconnections through the month of August.

Work Completed on World’s Longest Hydraulically Inserted Pipe

The world's longest hydraulically inserted pipe has been installed nearly 100 feet below the Humber River in Northern England.

New Jersey American Water Announces Water Infrastructure Investment Program

New Jersey American Water is partnering with state authorities to develop a state-wide water and wastewater infrastructure investment program.

Utility & Communications Construction Update

As the country emerges from its coronavirus-induced hibernation, guidance from the publicly traded companies of the Utility & Communications Construction Index (UCCI) is limited due to limited guidance and general uncertainty of what the coming months will bring.

Brown and Caldwell, Carollo Engineers Joint Venture Selected for South County Ag Program

The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San) has selected a joint venture of Brown and Caldwell and Carollo Engineers as project managers for $375 million recycled water infrastructure program.

USDA Invests $281 Million in Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing more than $280 million to help rural communities improve their water and wastewater infrastructure.

Eight Texas Cities Partner for New Water Line

Eight cities in the Houston area are partnering together to replace a 75 million gallon water line.

DC Water’s Tunnel Boring Machine Reaches Key Project Milestone

DC Water’s giant tunnel boring machine, named Chris, broke through a wall of concrete to reach the W Street shaft, a key milestone in the mining of the Northeast Boundary Tunnel (NEBT) project.

Utility & Communications Construction Update

The spread of the coronavirus has upended almost every staple of U.S. life, and businesses have no sense of what the next two weeks, much less the next two months, could look like. With these themes as the backdrop, there are some takeaways we can share for planning the next six months, as we consider both oil and the spread of the coronavirus.

Electro Scan Completes Trial Project for new Pipeline Inspection Technology

Electro Scan announced that it has completed a trial project of its new pipeline inspection technology with Sydney Water, Australia’s largest water utility.

Peru Gas Workers Unearth Centuries of History in Lima's Soil

For nearly two decades, workers for a company building gas lines across Peru’s capital have found themselves unearthing a treasure trove of history.

Ameren Illinois Plans Natural Gas Pipeline Upgrades

Ameren Illinois said it will replace 12 miles of aging natural gas pipeline in two Illinois locations for a combined cost of $64 million as part of its planned system upgrades around the state.

Two Cities Add HDPE for Reliable Water Infrastructure

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. This is a dependable indicator in psychology, but two cities in Minnesota found this to be especially true when applied to pipe performance.

2020 Outlook and Utility & Communications Construction Update

The United States construction market is steady and growing slightly amidst the second-longest period of sustained economic expansion since 1964. Despite fears of an impending slowdown, FMI Research projects that construction put-in-place will increase year-over-year by slightly less than 1 percent in 2019 (down from 3 percent in 2018).

$234 Billion CAPEX Expected over Next 10 Years for Water/Wastewater Infrastructure

More than $234 billion of capital expenditures (CAPEX) are forecasted over the next decade to address aging municipal water and wastewater pipe network infrastructure. Precipitated by decades of underinvestment, municipal utilities are under increasing pressure to address deteriorating linear assets at a faster pace.

Ohio Power Siting Board Approves Natural Gas Pipeline Route

The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) has approved a route for Duke Energy’s Central Corridor natural gas pipeline following a review of the company’s application and hearings on the 14-mile project.

New Jersey Capital City Spending $150 Million to Replace Lead Pipes

All 37,000 of the lead water pipes in New Jersey’s capital city will be replaced over the next five years at an estimated cost of $150 million, Trenton officials said Thursday.

Jesse Jackson Joins Push for Natural Gas Pipeline to Illinois Town

Not all pipeline activists are fighting against more construction. Rev. Jesse Jackson has joined local leaders in calling for extension of natural gas service to a low-income township south of Chicago.

Ohio Power Siting Board Approves Natural Gas Pipeline Route

The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) has approved a route for Duke Energy’s Central Corridor natural gas pipeline.

USDA to Invest Over $630 Million in Water Improvement for Rural Communities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing over $630 million in water infrastructure improvements for rural communities across 42 states.

Perma-Liner Rolls Out Road Shows, New Product for Tackling Infrastructure Rehab

With aging infrastructure and broken sewer lines being common themes that more and more communities are experiencing, Perma-Liner Industries LLC hosted events to share innovative, trenchless technology, and state-of-the-art equipment and materials to tackle these issues in the least disruptive manner.

Stricter EPA Lead Rule Could Boost Water Pipe Replacement Demand

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced proposed updates to its lead rule for drinking water that could add demand for pipeline replacement projects throughout the United States.