December 2025 Vol. 80 No. 12

As federal infrastructure funding winds down, sewer and water markets enter 2026 with cautious optimism, driven by years of underinvestment, ongoing EPA programs, and record local spending.

Always Underground Inc. is using a repeatable HDD-driven workflow to deliver large-scale underground fiber networks across multiple FiberCity markets, keeping crews productive and projects on schedule.

Sempra Infrastructure’s Port Arthur Pipeline Louisiana Connector Project includes 72 miles of 42-inch pipeline and 18 trenchless crossings totaling more than 57,000 feet, making it one of the most complex HDD projects in the region.

The Underground Infrastructure Awards 2026 will recognize the industry’s MVP and top water, sewer, fiber and trenchless projects during the UIC conference in San Antonio.

Hydro excavation allows crews to safely expose utilities from a distance on crowded urban job sites, reducing risk, improving access, and minimizing surface disruption.

Momentum is building on Capitol Hill for the next federal pipeline safety reauthorization. With bipartisan bills advancing in both the House and Senate, lawmakers appear poised to move a largely consensus-driven package that updates One-Call programs, damage prevention grants and long-delayed PHMSA rulemakings.

Hydrogen sulfide remains the root cause of the odor complaints and concrete deterioration that plague wastewater utilities. Vortex-style drop structures can fight odor and corrosion directly at the source by drawing H₂S downward, re-entraining fresh air and raising dissolved oxygen — delivering reliable control without chemicals or added power.

2026 Hall of Fame class to be honored   For the first time, the renowned Horizontal Directional Drilling Reunion will be held at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 28, in conjunction with the annual Underground Infrastructure Conference (Jan. 27-28). The formal r..

The infrastructure problems you're facing today didn't exist five years ago. And the ones coming next year? You can't solve them with last decade's playbook. UIC 2026 exists to close that gap – two concentrated days where you get ahead of the curve instead of scrambling to catch up.

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.

UI Business News highlights recent dealer acquisitions, equipment expansions, industry partnerships and technology agreements shaping the underground infrastructure and construction equipment markets.

UI People highlights recent leadership appointments, executive transitions, and industry recognition across the underground infrastructure, utilities, and trenchless sectors.

Underground Infrastructure's latest news roundup spans major developments across power, pipelines, water and safety — from Dominion Energy’s proposal for a 186-mile underground HVDC transmission line in Virginia to early federal clearance for the 800-mile Alaska LNG pipeline.