Stormwater
Know What’s Below – Call Before You Dig
Don't gamble with your safety — if you're a professional excavator or a homeowner, smart digging always requires a call to 811. Knowing where underground utility lines are buried before you dig will help protect you from injury and prevent damages to utilities, service disruptions and potential fines and repair costs.
Editor's Log: Blame And Responsibility
Politics is a tough business. Just ask the U.S. Conference of Mayors. After years of largely underfunding and ignoring the festering problem under their streets, this group authorized a “special report” stating the obvious: they’ve got serious problems with their sewer/water systems, including the underground piping infrastructure.
Changing The Communication Landscape Through Construction
It has been said that good news travels fast. In a town like Lansing, MI, news travels slightly faster. The tight-knit capital community is, without a doubt, one of Michigan’s biggest small towns. So when construction hits, the word gets around.
Princeton, IL – Small City, Big Modernization Plans
For Princeton, IL, a city of 7,500 residents, the future is now as it continues to modernize itself through a program that will eventually see all overhead electrical utility cables put underground.
Editor's Log: Survey Surprises
This issue marks our “lucky” 13th Annual Municipal Infrastructure Survey. It allows us to connect more closely with municipalities of all sizes and from all corners of the country.Tiny towns have just as many seemingly insurmountable issues as do the large metropolises. Yet, many of the concerns and issues are identical.
Study Confirms Long Life Expectancy For PE Pipe In Muni Water Systems
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) announced an ongoing study by Jana Laboratories confirms 100-plus year life expectancy for pipe made from polyethylene (PE) when used in municipal potable water systems.
JEA Takes Lead In Proactive Sewer, Water Maintenance
Most major American cities today face multiple challenges to provide basic water and sanitary services.
InfrastructureUSA jumpstarts community involvement in infrastructure
InfrastructureUSA.org is a new nonprofit web site focused on generating “Citizen Dialogue about Civil infrastructure.”
2009 Rehab Selection Guide
View the definitive listings on the companies that specialize in rehab work, from CIPP to CCTV, manholes, trenchless pipe replacements and beyond.
UCTA Presents WaterWorks 2009
The Underground Construction Technology Association (UCTA), formerly known as the Gulf Coast Trenchless Association, invites you to join a group of expert speakers from across North America who will share their knowledge and insight into the critically important water infrastructure market.
SAWS Project Presented At GCTA Meeting
Matthew Hinkson, P.E., discussed the city of San Antonio’s most recently completed project to improve the city’s sanitary sewer system - the Western Watershed Sewer Relief Line (W-04) project.
Sewer line tunneling method saves city $50K
The city council in Willmar, MN, voted to approve a savings of $50,000 and reduce the risk of failure by letting a contractor use a different tunneling method.
Complications On The Rio Grande
Repairing or replacing old, deteriorating utility infrastructure that has been buried in the ground for years and often directly beneath homes and businesses is a challenge that has become common for the nation's utility providers.
Redesigned Vactor 2100 Sewer Cleaner Debuts
Vactor Manufacturing has redesigned the Vactor 2100 sewer cleaner for public utilities and professional contractors cleaning entire wastewater and sanitary systems.
CIPP Leaves Diverse Attractions Undisturbed
Reno, NV, offers many attractions to live up to its billing as “The Biggest Little City In The World.” When choosing a contractor for a sewer rehabilitation project that involved both busy downtown and more remote idyllic settings, city of Reno engineers selected cured in place pipe (CIPP) specialist PIPEnology to avoid disrupting the city’s activities.
Free Money Costs A Fortune
In his proposed 2010 budget, President Obama has proposed a huge increase for sewer and water funding. His budget proposal is $2.4 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $1.5 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.
Custom Trench Shield Spreader Arch Delivered In 5 Days
The Central Weber (Utah) Sewer Improvement District recently awarded a project installing a new treated water discharge line from the treatment plant to the Weber River to Whitaker Construction Company.
GCTA: Laredo’s Storm Sewer Outfall Rehab Discussed
Riazul Mia, director of Environmental Services for the city of Laredo, TX, addressed the bi-monthly meeting of the Gulf Coast Trenchless Association on Feb. 11, in Houston.
Converting sewage to drinking water
As California’s drought worsens, Escondido city officials are considering exploring a new technology that transforms sewer water into clean drinking water.
MVP Winner Honored In San Antonio
When it comes to the promotion of rehabilitation technology, the tireless efforts of Joseph G. Majdalani have earned him the honor of Most Valuable Professional for 2009 from the Gulf Coast Trenchless Association and <em>Underground Construction</em> magazine.
Increased Sewer/Water Funding Headlines Many Changes In Washington
Sewer and drinking water funding has been a back burner issue in Washington for the past decade, as local infrastructure needs have come to a boil. But the economic stimulus package Congress will pass will include substantial funds for water infrastructure.
Houston PW Director Discusses "Surviving The Storms”
The city of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department Director Michael Marcotte addressed the December luncheon of the Gulf Coast Trenchless Association on Dec. 10. About 150 people were on hand to hear the presentation.
Workforce Crisis: Intern Program Steers Students Into Utility Careers
One of the best ways to minimize the effects of a shortage of qualified workers is to plan ahead.
House Seeks To Improve Municipal Bond Market
Local sewage infrastructure projects would get a boost from legislation a House committee approved on July 30.
Oklahoma Electric Utility Mounts Successful Overhead-To-Underground Program
The Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO), provider of electricity for metropolitan Tulsa and portions of eastern and southwestern Oklahoma, has an ongoing program to replace aerial distribution lines with underground cable in selected neighborhoods in its service area.
HDPE Pipe Plays Major Role In City’s Sewer Expansion
The city of Garland, TX, is in the process of a major sanitary sewer improvement program that will expand its capacity and improve conditions for this community of 230,000 located just northeast of Dallas.
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Construction worker killed in trench collapse near Prosperity, S.C.
- Two workers rescued after hours trapped in Mich. trench collapse
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- Final construction phase kicks off for Indianapolis deep rock tunnel
- WES tunnel boring machine retrieved from Oregon river after seven-month project
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes
- Ameren Illinois to invest $140 million in natural gas pipeline replacement program