October 2025 Vol. 80 No. 10
Features
UIC 2026 to feature new technical sessions, awards and HDD reunion in San Antonio
(UI) — The industry is moving fast. New pressures on aging systems, changing regulatory expectations and advances in construction and rehabilitation technology mean the work we do is different today than it was last year. The 2026 Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC) is built for that reality: focused, practical and directly applicable to the people who run and repair buried systems.
Join the infrastructure industry Jan. 27-28, 2026, at the Henry B. González Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas, for two powerful days of concentrated education, hands-on experiences, targeted connections and zero wasted time. Registration is open! Secure your place now and shape how your team approaches the year ahead.
What to expect
UIC 2026 is intentionally condensed and practical. Mornings (8 a.m.–noon) deliver concise, high-value education sessions that qualify for PDHs and CEUs through the University of Texas at Arlington. Afternoons (noon–5 p.m.) are devoted to the exhibit hall, where Center Stage panels, Technical Theater sessions, and on-floor demonstrations keep the focus on equipment and solutions you can use immediately.
This format is designed so you leave with specific tactics and new vendor relationships rather than just a few vague ideas as takeaways. Plus, as needed, you can earn continuing education credits.
The full program is online at UI-Conference.com. Here’s a look at a few practical sessions that are included in your full-conference registration. (program is subject to change.)
Asset Management
These sessions will examine key aspects pertaining to environmental impacts, risk reduction, data quality, technologies available and more, so utilities can develop asset management plans.
- Mitigating Risk Through Condition Assessment
Speakers: Kevin Weeks, PICA; Wes Pierce, Trinity River Authority of Texas
- Leveraging Smart Pigging Technologies as Cost-Effective Method to Clean & Evaluate Integrity of Pressurized Pipe
Speaker: Mark Wade, BlueWater Solutions
Sewer/Stormwater
- Large-Diameter Corrugated Metal Pipe Storm Sewer Rehab
Speakers: Linda Cassel, Danby LLC; Bill Grubbs & Anthony Chapa, Boyer Inc.
- How Sanitation Became the Cornerstone of Ancient Civilization
Speaker: Joe Schotthoefer, Doetsch Environmental Services
Emerging Technology
- Close Tolerance Pipe Slurrification: Proven Solution for Asbestos Cement Pipe Rehabilitation in Sunrise, FL
Speakers: Brian Goad, Azuria Water Solutions; Andrew Costa, Insituform Technologies
- Preserving Mid-Century Water Infrastructure: CFRP Upgrade of 1949 Cast Iron Pipe Beneath Cedar Springs Road Culvert
Speaker: Mike Larsen, Structural Technologies
Exhibit hall: the business floor
UIC attracts qualified professionals, including engineers, contractors, senior management and utility operators. These are the individuals who control billions in purchasing decisions. Buyer attention is concentrated into two high-impact days, putting solutions in front of people who make purchasing decisions. Options for exhibitors include:
- Booth space in high-traffic zones near Technical Theaters
- 25-minute Technical Theater presentations (on-floor, eligible for credit)
- Sponsorships for the Innovation Lounge, lunches, and reception
- Additional high-visibility sponsorships exist outside the hall that will keep all eyes on your brand, like the track sponsorship that features your logo on the head table and your logo on every other seat back.
Breakdown of attendees:
- 22 percent engineers
- 20 percent senior management, vice presidents
- 25 percent business operations
- 18 percent owners, presidents and directors
In just two days, you can achieve what might otherwise take months of meetings and travel.
All exhibitors receive recognition in Underground Infrastructure magazine, the event app, and email campaigns, plus full-conference passes for your team. Contact Josh@UndergroundInfrastructure.com or Peter.Royall@GulfEnergyInfo.com to secure your space today.
Special Events at UIC 2026 — Recognition, reunion and real connections
Introducing The Awards: MVP + UI Honors!
The Awards: MVP + UI Honors unites two respected programs, UCTA’s Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award and Underground Infrastructure’s UI Awards, into one occasion that captures the spirit of our industry, celebrating the individuals and projects shaping the future of underground infrastructure.
Our work often happens out of sight, beneath streets, rivers and cities — but its impact reaches everywhere. The Awards was created to recognize that impact, honoring the people and teams who keep essential systems safe, reliable, and built for the future.
By bringing together two long-standing honors into one shared stage, we’re creating something more meaningful: a collective moment to applaud the professionals who make progress possible, from pipeline specialists and engineers to contractors, designers and utility owners.
The inaugural luncheon takes place on Tuesday, Jan, 27, 2026, at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, recognizing exceptional leadership, innovation and achievement across every sector of infrastructure.
Registration is open, and tickets are available for $85 per person. Be sure to add the luncheon to your UIC registration today.
HDD Reunion
The HDD Reunion returns for networking and the Hall of Fame induction.
On Jan. 28, from 1 – 2:30 p.m., an interactive panel will take place at Center Stage on the exhibit hall floor, featuring the newly inducted HDD Hall of Fame honorees.
Later that evening, the formal presentation of the prestigious HDD Hall of Fame awards will take place during the celebrated HDD Reunion. The Reunion begins at 5:15 p.m., immediately following the exhibit hall closing, at the convention center.
For everyone involved in the HDD community – past, present, and future – the Hall of Fame ceremony and Reunion promise an unforgettable opportunity to reconnect, share stories and honor the visionaries who shaped the industry.
To register for the HDD Hall of Fame/Reunion events and/or the Underground Infrastructure Conference, visit ui-conference.com.
Thank you, HDD Reunion Sponsors!
Diamond: JT Miller, Bar: E&M Supply, Vermeer, Supporting: Hardrock Infrastructure, Sharewell HDD, DCS Fluid
Invest in your future
UIC remains one of the most focused and cost-effective professional events in the industry.
- 2-Day Full Conference: $575 (before Nov. 1) / $740 (after)
- 1-Day Conference: $365 (before Nov. 1) / $425 (after)
- Exhibit Hall Only: $75 (before Nov. 1) / $85 (after)
In underground infrastructure, timing and preparation make all the difference. Register early, plan your schedule, and arrive ready to learn and connect. Visit UI-Conference.com for full program details, exhibit space selection, and hotel information.
Hotel, logistics
The all-suite Hotel Contessa is the headquarters property, located on the River Walk, only a short walk to the Henry B. González Convention Center. The convenience matters: arrive at the hotel, walk to sessions, and get more out of your time in San Antonio. Room rates for the UIC block are listed at $229 + $9 amenity fee; availability is limited. Book early at UI-Conference.com.
Details, contacts:
- Event: UIC 2026 — Henry B. González Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas
- Dates: Jan. 27–28, 2026
- Program, registration, and hotel: UI-Conference.com.
- Exhibitor inquiries: Josh@UndergroundInfrastructure.com, Peter.Royall@GulfEnergyInfo.com
- Registration, program inquiries: Karen@UndergroundInfrastructure.com
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