Underground Infrastructure
Civil Engineers Give West Virginia a “D” and Maine a “C-“ in the 2020 Infrastructure Report Card
A new 2020 Infrastructure Report Card for West Virginia and Maine with overall low ratings.
USDA Awards Alaska Utility $22 Million for Fiber Installation
Alaska Power & Telephone Company has been awarded $21.5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install more than 200 miles of fiber optic cable in rural Alaska.
Utility and Communications Construction Update
Despite the global pandemic forcing most people to stay indoors, utility infrastructure construction and repair work continues to chug along around the county.
Traverse City Utility Builds out New Fiber Network
A utility in Traverse City, Michigan is building out a new fiber broadband network across the city which includes installation of nearly 15 miles of underground cable.
Michigan Governor Announces $500 Million Water Infrastructure Plan
The governor of Michigan has announced a $500 million dollar plan to upgrade the state's water and wastewater infrastructure.
Study Predicts $52 Billion in Water Utility Trenchless Technology Investments over Next Decade
A new study by Bluefield Research expects the economic recession combined with aging water infrastructure across the country will spur over $50 billion in trenchless technology investments.
Northwest Pipe Company to Provide Pipe North Carolina Water Transmission Line
Northwest Pipe Company has been selected to provide the pipe for a steel water pipeline system as part of a water infrastructure upgrade project in North Carolina.
Illinois Regulators Approve Report on Condition of Chicago Gas Distribution Network
Regulators in Illinois have agreed with the conclusion of a report that found a natural gas distribution network replacement program in Chicago from Peoples Gas will increase public and customer safety.
Arizona’s Infrastructure Gets a “C”, Water Barely Makes the Grade
Arizona's state infrastructure received an overall grade of 'C' from the American Society of Civil Engineers with the state's water infrastructure being graded nearly last.
West Virginia Drinking Water Projects Receive Federal Funding
West Virginia is receiving over $11 million from the Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water projects.
Analysis: Laura Reminds of Louisiana’s Fragile Water Systems
The high water and flooding in Louisiana from Hurricane Laura last month brought into sharp relief the fragility of the state's water systems, three years after the state's drinking water infrastructure received nearly a failing grade.
Fiber Project Pushes Through Difficult Ground Conditions, Environmental Challenges
On its own merit, a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) shot spanning more than five football fields long is a substantial task. But when you add in both volcanic and clay ground conditions, a tight deadline and an environmentally protected job site, it becomes all the more challenging.
Poised for Progress: Prescott One Step Closer to Centralized Wastewater System
The popular adage “out with the old, in with the new” is often associated with enthusiasm and fanfare. Yet, in the world of sewer replacement and expansion, the true test of a successful project is having the work go almost unnoticed by the public.
San Diego $3 Billion Water Project Receives Permit to Begin Phase 1
A $3 billion water infrastructure project has been granted the necessary permit to begin work on Phase 1.
States Rush to Utilize CARES Act Funding for Fiber Infrastructure Ahead of Deadline
States eager to build out their fiber broadband infrastructure to rural areas are rushing to take advantage of funding from the CARES act passed earlier this year before the end-of-year deadline.
U.S. Department of Energy Announces $33 Million for Natural Gas Pipeline Retrofitting Projects
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced over $30 million in funding to develop technology to rehabilitate aging natural gas pipelines.
New Jersey American Water Announces Water Infrastructure Investment Program
New Jersey American Water is partnering with state authorities to develop a state-wide water and wastewater infrastructure investment program.
California Announces $83.9 Million in Grants for Local and Regional Water Resilience Projects
California has awarded nearly $84 million in funding to help local and regional water infrastructure improvement projects around the state.
EPA Announces $6 Billion in New Funding for Water Infrastructure Projects
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $6 billion in funding to support water infrastructure projects around the county.
Brown and Caldwell, Carollo Engineers Joint Venture Selected for South County Ag Program
The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San) has selected a joint venture of Brown and Caldwell and Carollo Engineers as project managers for $375 million recycled water infrastructure program.
USDA Invests $281 Million in Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing more than $280 million to help rural communities improve their water and wastewater infrastructure.
Stantec to Lead Major Wastewater Development Project in Egypt
Global engineering services company Stantec has been selected to head up a massive wastewater infrastructure improvement project for the Fayoum governate in Egypt.
Eight Texas Cities Partner for New Water Line
Eight cities in the Houston area are partnering together to replace a 75 million gallon water line.
Electro Scan Completes Trial Project for new Pipeline Inspection Technology
Electro Scan announced that it has completed a trial project of its new pipeline inspection technology with Sydney Water, Australia’s largest water utility.
Peru Gas Workers Unearth Centuries of History in Lima's Soil
For nearly two decades, workers for a company building gas lines across Peru’s capital have found themselves unearthing a treasure trove of history.
Texas Railroad Commission Adopts New Pipeline Safety Rules
The Railroad Commission (RRC) of Texas has adopted new natural gas pipeline safety rules regarding the type of natural gas distribution pipelines that are allowed to be installed.
Two Cities Add HDPE for Reliable Water Infrastructure
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. This is a dependable indicator in psychology, but two cities in Minnesota found this to be especially true when applied to pipe performance.
2020 Outlook and Utility & Communications Construction Update
The United States construction market is steady and growing slightly amidst the second-longest period of sustained economic expansion since 1964. Despite fears of an impending slowdown, FMI Research projects that construction put-in-place will increase year-over-year by slightly less than 1 percent in 2019 (down from 3 percent in 2018).
$234 Billion CAPEX Expected over Next 10 Years for Water/Wastewater Infrastructure
More than $234 billion of capital expenditures (CAPEX) are forecasted over the next decade to address aging municipal water and wastewater pipe network infrastructure. Precipitated by decades of underinvestment, municipal utilities are under increasing pressure to address deteriorating linear assets at a faster pace.
USDA to Invest Over $630 Million in Water Improvement for Rural Communities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy has announced that the department is investing $635 million in 122 projects to improve water systems and wastewater handling services in rural communities in 42 states.
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- West Virginia approves $67 million for water, sewer projects