Sewer
Contractors brace for 2026, water and sewer work holds steady
Construction contractors are entering 2026 with dampened expectations as economic uncertainty grows, though water, sewer and utility projects remain among the stronger market segments, according to a new AGC and Sage industry outlook.
Austin Water secures $55 million for pipe replacement, reclaimed water expansion
Austin Water has secured $55 million in low-interest state funding to replace aging pipes, reduce water loss, and expand reclaimed water infrastructure across Austin.
Microtunneling drives progress on Calgary’s TransCanada sanitary trunk
Calgary’s TransCanada Sanitary Trunk project continues to advance, with microtunneling driving pipe installation on the 5.3-mile wastewater capacity expansion through 2026.
Wastewater spill repairs complete after structural failure on Houston’s south side
Houston Public Works closed out repairs after a Goodyear Drive structural failure released about 100,000 gallons of wastewater into Sims Bayou. Crews contained the incident quickly, and continued monitoring shows no meaningful water-quality impacts while the city confirms drinking-water systems were unaffected.
Infrastructure failure releases 100,000 gallons of wastewater in Houston; repairs ongoing
A structural failure in a southeast Houston wastewater line released more than 100,000 gallons of sewage, prompting boil-water guidance for nearby private well users while city tap water remains safe.
$52.5-million Great Pond sewer project advances with construction set for early 2026
Construction on the Great Pond Phase 1 sewer expansion is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with updated estimates cutting the project’s cost by more than $7 million. The $52.5 million investment will expand sewer service and help reduce nitrogen pollution in the watershed.
Pennsylvania DEP rejects $53 million Connoquenessing Township sewer plan
Pennsylvania DEP has rejected Connoquenessing Township’s $53 million Act 537 sewage facilities plan, citing technical deficiencies, affordability concerns, and regulatory compliance issues.
NYC plans $68 million Prospect Park Bluebelt to curb flash flooding
New York City plans a $68 million stormwater project in Prospect Park to reduce flash flooding using Brooklyn’s first Bluebelt, with construction expected to begin in 2029.
Lynchburg, Va., starts 20-month utility rebuild in College Hill
Lynchburg, Va., will begin a 20-month utility reconstruction project in the College Hill neighborhood, replacing century-old water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure starting in January 2026.
Vancouver pilots microtunneling to renew sewer beneath Memorial West Park
Vancouver is piloting microtunneling and sliplining beneath Memorial West Park to renew aging sewer infrastructure while keeping most construction underground and minimizing park disruption.
Portland, Ore., targets urgent sewer pipe failures with multi-year program
Portland, Ore., is advancing a multi-year priority sewer pipe program across south and southwest neighborhoods, using trenchless and open-cut methods to address aging infrastructure and urgent repair needs.
Why sewer and water markets enter 2026 cautiously optimistic
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.
New 4,000-foot tunnel to boost Detroit sewer capacity, prevent flooding
The Great Lakes Water Authority has begun construction on an $87 million stormwater diversion tunnel in southwest Detroit, designed to reduce sewage backups, basement flooding, and improve water quality along the Rouge River. The 4,000-foot tunnel will redirect excess wet-weather flows to an existing retention and treatment basin, boosting system resilience ahead of expected completion in 2028.
$86 million Miami Beach project to rebuild drainage, sewer north of 14th Street
Miami Beach is moving forward with an $86 million design-build project to replace drainage, water and sewer infrastructure in the West Avenue neighborhood, including a new 120,000-gpm pump station and major underground utility upgrades north of 14th Street.
Wichita, Kan., advances $36 million Bleckley Drive drainage overhaul to curb chronic flooding
Wichita is advancing a $36 million, multi-phase drainage and utility project on Bleckley Drive, replacing aging stormwater infrastructure with new underground sewers and rebuilt roadways to reduce chronic flooding through 2028.
Exeter, N.H., begins next phase of Westside Drive water and sewer work
Construction is advancing on the Westside Drive utility improvement project as crews install new water mains and prepare for sewer, drainage and roadway upgrades tied to the town’s CSO control plan.
Georgia commits over $100 million to modernize aging water and sewer infrastructure
DeKalb County, Georgia is moving forward on long-delayed water and sewer upgrades, approving more than $100 million in engineering and trenchless rehabilitation contracts. The investments aim to modernize an aging system, curb overflows, and prepare for future rate-hike discussions.
Columbia, S.C., advances $350 million sewer and water overhaul; new downtown upgrades set to begin
Columbia, South Carolina, is investing $350 million to replace aging sewer and water infrastructure, including a $16 million downtown sewer upgrade and a $65 million overflow control facility.
California invests $590 million to boost water reliability, upgrade sewer systems statewide
California invested $590 million in new water infrastructure projects, adding 2.9 billion gallons of clean water annually and upgrading wastewater, desalination, and sewer systems across the state to boost long-term reliability.
Maryland's Howard County begins sewer rehabilitation under Little Patuxent River
Howard County has started rehabilitating 150 feet of 12-inch sewer pipe beneath the Little Patuxent River in Columbia, Maryland, to improve system reliability and prevent overflows. The project is expected to finish by early 2026.
King County advances major sewer upgrade for Mercer Island and Bellevue
King County is advancing construction on the North Mercer Island/Enatai Sewer Upgrade Project, replacing aging wastewater pipelines, upgrading pump stations, and restoring park and roadway areas in Mercer Island and Bellevue to improve reliability and protect Lake Washington’s water quality.
Jacobs to lead $200 million infrastructure program supporting El Paso regional growth
Jacobs has been selected by El Paso Water to manage a major $200 million infrastructure development program near El Paso International Airport and Fort Bliss. The multi-phase effort will plan and deliver new water, wastewater and stormwater systems across 4,500 acres to support regional growth, expand service capacity, and strengthen long-term resilience.
Century-old sewer tunnel restored as Ohio city completes two-year rehab project
Lakewood, Ohio has completed a massive rehabilitation of its 19,000-foot interceptor tunnel—one of the city’s largest sewer projects to date. The $28 million upgrade relines early-20th-century clay pipe, reduces stormwater inflow and sets the stage for a new CSO storage tank coming in 2026.
Philadelphia-Camden sewers spill 12 billion gallons of sewage a year into local waterways, report finds
A new report warns that combined sewer overflows in the Philadelphia-Camden region are dumping 12 billion gallons of pollution into the Delaware River basin each year, threatening public health and water quality.
Maumee, Ohio, to rehabilitate 27,000 feet of sewer lines with CIPP
Maumee, Ohio, has opened bidding for a $4.3 million sewer rehabilitation project to upgrade 27,000 feet of sanitary pipelines in its uptown district, with work funded in part by state and EPA programs.
Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized
A trench collapse at a sewer construction site in Yarmouth, Massachusetts left one worker dead and two injured, prompting a major rescue response and renewed scrutiny of excavation safety practices. Local, state, and federal agencies are now investigating the cause of the failure.
Park Forest crews begin sewer rehab to prevent costly breakdowns
Park Forest, Illinois, has begun a sanitary sewer rehabilitation project to replace aging infrastructure, reduce repair costs, and improve wastewater reliability for residents.
Legal challenges fail to stop Montana’s Lakeside sewer expansion project
Montana courts have cleared the way for the Lakeside County Water and Sewer District to move forward with its wastewater expansion after denying two lawsuits seeking to block the project in Flathead County.
Pittsburgh’s $193 million ABC Project targets critical underground water infrastructure
Pittsburgh Water has launched its $193 million “ABC Project” to modernize key pump stations and replace century-old underground infrastructure. The plan includes upgrades to the Aspinwall and Bruecken stations and a new Clearwell Bypass system, aiming to boost water reliability and create over 1,000 regional jobs by 2029.
Granite to build $350 million I-290 drainage, sewer upgrade in Chicago
Illinois is moving forward with a $350 million I-290 drainage and sewer improvement project—the state’s first CM/GC contract—adding more than three miles of large-diameter trunk sewers to reduce flooding along the Eisenhower Expressway in Chicago.
- Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized
- Alaska LNG pipeline could require 7,000 workers at peak construction, developers say
- Ohio trench collapse kills one worker, injures two during pipe installation
- Elon Musk's Boring Co. fined for dumping drilling waste into Vegas sewer system
- $1.4 billion Midwest pipeline expansion to move more Canadian oil to U.S. Gulf
- Glenfarne Alaska LNG targets late-2026 construction start for 807-mile pipeline project
- Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized
- Massive water line failure leaves majority of Waterbury without service
- Infrastructure failure releases 100,000 gallons of wastewater in Houston; repairs ongoing
- Pennsylvania American Water launches interactive map to identify, replace lead water service lines