Technology
Subsite launches M10 beacon for underground utility installation
Contractors can more easily and reliably run short shots of fiber lines and other underground utilities using the new M10 HDD guidance beacon from Subsite. The M10 beacon is designed for use with compact Ditch Witch horizontal directional drills (HDDs) like the JT5 and small drills from other manufacturers.
Fort Wayne, Ind., tunnel project uses Vortex inserts to protect sewer system
Fort Wayne City Utilities is constructing a five-mile-long tunnel deep beneath the city to reduce combined sewer overflows into local rivers. Part of its Tunnel Works program, the project includes nine drop shafts, five of which feature IPEX’s Vortex Flow Inserts designed to minimize odors, prevent corrosion and improve wastewater quality before treatment.
Bridging the digital divide: Fiber installation brings innovation to the Pennsylvania Turnpike
In Pennsylvania, a groundbreaking fiber optic installation along the Turnpike is tackling two challenges at once: expanding the state’s digital backbone and closing the broadband gap in rural communities. With innovative micro-trenching methods and all-season materials, the project is on track to deliver 325 miles of new connectivity infrastructure by 2026.
Cleveland, Texas, modernizes water system with new advanced metering infrastructure
Cleveland, Texas, completes AMI water system upgrade with Ameresco, improving meter accuracy, cutting costs, and boosting revenue recovery.
Understanding HDD pullback options: Conventional, direct and non-threaded methods explained
Explore HDD pullback options, including conventional setups, direct pullback, and non-threaded systems. Learn how each method impacts efficiency, flexibility, and jobsite performance.
New Products - April 2025
In the latest New Products column, Underground Infrastructure highlights Bobcat’s new lineup of heavy-duty loaders and excavators, John Deere’s advanced 850 X-Tier Dozer and SmartDetect Digital system, and SPMR’s real-time utility work order platform – each designed to boost performance, safety, and efficiency in underground utility construction.
Rehab Spotlight: Trenchless technologies offer new solutions for pipeline rehabilitation
This Rehab Spotlight highlights innovative trenchless technologies from Danby, HammerHead, NuFlow, MaxLiner, Reline America, and more, offering structural and CIPP solutions for aging underground infrastructure.
UI Awards 2025: Top projects, technologies honored during Underground Infrastructure Conference
UI Awards 2025 recognized leading underground infrastructure achievements, including major sewer, fiber, water and rehabilitation projects, at the annual awards dinner during the Underground Infrastructure Conference.
Cyberattacks on U.S. water utilities worsen, posing growing threat to infrastructure, study finds
A new Semperis study reveals that 62% of utilities in the U.S. and U.K. faced cyberattacks last year, with over half suffering permanent data loss. Nation-state actors, including China's Volt Typhoon, are increasingly targeting power and water systems.
Vermeer launches new digital platform to simplify equipment management
Vermeer has launched VermeerOne™, a digital platform that streamlines the management, monitoring and maintenance of Vermeer equipment. The platform serves as a central hub where equipment owners can access manuals, warranty information, machine data, dealer support and more in a single interface.
ProStar, Pix4D launch 3D mobile mapping tool for underground infrastructure
ProStar Holdings Inc. has partnered with 3D mapping firm Pix4D to integrate their technologies and deliver a real-time, mobile-friendly solution for visualizing underground infrastructure.
Griffolyn pre-liners improve reliability in trenchless pipe lining
Griffolyn reinforced pre-liners offer added protection and reliability during CIPP trenchless pipe rehabilitation, helping prevent resin washout, liner buckling, and installation delays in water and sewer infrastructure projects.
Evanston, Ill., begins sewer line rehabilitation project using CIPP trenchless technology
The City of Evanston has begun work on a multi-month sewer rehabilitation project using the Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) trenchless method. Sewer cleaning and inspection started on March 25, with pipe lining scheduled to begin in May, weather permitting.
Worm-like robot burrows underground to cut power line installation costs
The innovation, known as a "peristaltic conduit," mimics the segmented movement of earthworms to propel itself through the soil with minimal disruption to existing infrastructure.
Tech Tips: Effective in-house root control for sewer systems
Roots infiltrating sewer systems are a major concern for many municipalities, leading to blockages, overflows, and potential EPA fines. Traditional root-cutting methods, such as spinner nozzles for light to medium roots and root saws for heavier growth, can cause pipeline deterioration over time.
SAERTEX multiCom achieves two sustainability rehabilitation milestones
Sustainability is an integral part of the corporate culture at SAERTEX multiCom and embedded in its DNA. Trenchless pipe rehabilitation using SAERTEX-LINERS makes a valuable contribution to protecting the precious resource of drinking water.
Vortex launches water division to tackle aging infrastructure
Vortex Companies has launched Vortex Water, a new division focused on water infrastructure rehabilitation. The move expands the company's trenchless solutions beyond sewer and industrial systems to address aging water pipelines with advanced materials, liners, and trenchless technologies.
Schneider Electric strengthens OT security with SCADAPack RTU upgrade
Schneider Electric has introduced new cybersecurity features for its SCADAPack 470i and 474i remote terminal units (RTUs), aiming to enhance operational technology (OT) security for critical infrastructure.
New Products - January 2025
In the latest New Products column, Underground Infrastructure highlights CASE Construction Equipment's limited edition 580 Super N Construction King backhoe loader and Caterpillar's new advanced Cat D8 dozer, showcasing the latest advancements designed to enhance jobsite performance and sustainability.
AI's impact on pipeline construction: Transforming productivity and safety
Artificial Intelligence is all the rage. Nearly all of the discussion is how efficiently it can perform repetitive tasks, forecasting, etc. There are fears, as well, that AI will displace humans and their jobs.
Jacobs helps modernize Virginia’s Alexandria sewer system to improve water quality
The RiverRenew project involves the construction of a 2-mile-long, 12-foot diameter tunnel, along with two drop shafts, a deep pump station, and other infrastructure upgrades.
Water sector leaders launch research project to deploy GenAI for water utilities
Today, the American Water Works Association (AWWA), in collaboration with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) The Water Research Foundation (WRF) and Karmous Edwards Consulting (KEC), launched a project on the Role of Generative AI (GenAI) for the Global Water Sector.
Ditch Witch launches new JT21 directional drill
Ditch Witch has announced the launch of its new JT21 directional drill, an upgraded replacement for the popular JT20. According to the product announcement, the JT21 delivers up to 40% more downhole horsepower than its predecessor and 35% faster carriage speed than any drill in its class.
Vortex acquires ETECAS to expand trenchless tech, in-house manufacturing
Vortex Companies, a trenchless technology construction company headquartered in Houston, announced its acquisition of ETECAS UG (ETECAS), a Germany-based leader in trenchless rehabilitation and UV curing equipment.
Transferring technology from control studies to field applications
The Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology (CIGMAT), a joint university-industry consortium, is not only focused on performing highly challenging research, but also communicating and educating the leaders from various large counties, cities, transportation departments, construction and oil industries, and engineers and university students, with the new innovative technologies, models.
Columbia, Mo., approves $9.2 million sewer rehab project using trenchless technology
The Columbia City Council has approved plans to move forward with a $9.2 million sewer rehabilitation project aimed at upgrading aging sewer infrastructure across central and west Columbia.
Aquasight launches digital twin solutions for water, wastewater infrastructure management
MassDEP's endorsement of ACE™, combined with the accessibility of AWS Marketplace, allows municipalities to leverage trusted, AI-driven solutions to tackle water and wastewater management challenges while achieving regulatory compliance.
PipeLogix partners with PipeAId to modernize and automate pipeline inspection
PipeLogix, a developer of pipeline inspection software, has announced a strategic, long-term partnership with PipeAId, a provider of AI-powered solutions engineered to automate and improve condition assessment.
From smart sewers to first-of-its-kind infrastructure: How KC Water and Jacobs are shaping Kansas City’s future
KC Water and Jacobs are modernizing Kansas City's infrastructure with smart sewer systems and innovative wastewater projects. Their collaborative efforts, including a first-of-its-kind thermal hydrolysis facility, aim to improve service and sustainability for the community.
Caterpillar expands remote-control tech to Cat medium wheel loaders
The remote control system integrates seamlessly with the loader’s electronic and hydraulic systems, providing responsive and smooth control. It also allows users to switch easily between remote operation and manual in-cab control.
- Authorities investigating trench collapse that killed worker in Ashburn, Va.
- NTSB publishes preliminary report on fatal gas pipeline explosion in Lexington, Mo.
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds
- Ditch Witch West sells first Bulldog trencher to speed up undergrounding work along West Coast
- Centuri awarded nearly $400 million for U.S. gas infrastructure work
- Maryland lawmakers push to curb BGE pipeline spending, citing safety and cost concerns
- Charlottesville, Va., to begin work on 24-inch water line for Rivanna River crossing
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish