Underground Construction articles from September 2003

Underground Construction archives from September 2003

The last thing we need ...(Editor's Log)
September 1, 2003... As the national economy finally demonstrates clear signs of recovery, cautious optimism has crept into the ranks of those involved in the underground construction market. Consumer confidence, increased production of goods and services, growth...

Water leaks cost billions.(Letters To The Editor)
September 1, 2003... I read with extreme interest your editorial in the July issue, and you are right on target regarding our nation's water losses due to leakage. But, the problem may actually be even worse than you can imagine. I have come to realize that...

Dallas to tap water.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... Dallas officials are considering building a pipeline to pump 300,000 acre-feet of water from the Toledo Bend Reservoir in Southeast Texas to Dallas-Fort Worth. The plan, which could be the most expensive at an estimated $1.5 billion, would...

Home builder fined for runoff into storm sewers.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... KB Home Lone Star LP was erecting subdivisions in Houston's southern and west Harris County in 2001 and 2002 when county inspectors say the company failed to contain dirt, construction materials and trash from flowing off-site into storm sewers...

USFilter to meet community's wastewater needs.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... The city of Lathrop, CA, and USFilter Operating Services Inc., (USFilter), have entered into a 20-year agreement for wastewater services enabling die city to meet the wastewater needs of its growing population. The public-private partnership,...

PSC acquires AquaSource water/ wastewater utilities.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... Philadelphia Suburban Corporation (PSC) has completed a major acquisition of one of the largest remaining U.S. water companies, when it purchased the investor-owned water and wastewater systems of AquaSource Inc.--a subsidiary of DQE--for an...

EPA awards grants for sewer repairs.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a $483,900 grant to the Borough of Honesdale, Wayne County, PA, to help pay for repairs to deteriorated sewer lines and to help prevent untreated wastewater from entering into the...

Miller Pipeline celebrates 50 years of growth.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... Miller Pipeline Corporation, based in Indianapolis, IN, celebrated its 50th successful year of operation with a birthday observance on June 26. Fifty years is a long time to not just survive but to prosper in the utility and mainline...

DCA summer meeting.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... Carmel Valley Ranch, CA, was the site of this year's Distribution Contractors Association summer board of directors meeting. The 100 attendees participated in three days of business and committee meetings, golf, sightseeing along Big Sur, ocean...

Phone companies market satellite TV.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... In an attempt to stem the tide of customers leaving its core phone business, San Antonio-based SBC Communications will combine satellite television with its bundle of phone services next year. By bundling satellite TV with other products,...

Project & Construction Management degree program offered.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... The University of Houston's Cullen College of Engineering is now offering a Master degree program in Project and Construction Management (PCM). The graduate program is intended to meet the increasing demand for better and specialized management...

Correction.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... In the July issue of Rehabilitation Technology, pg. R15, C.I.P.P. Corporation's cured-in-place product was listed in the Rehabilitation Technology Selection Guide as having an inversion diameter range of 3 to 40 inches. The text should have...

Obituaries.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... Carl L. Dalio, Jr. passed away in Houston, TX, on July 27. Dalio stowed his country in World War II. After the war, he joined a pipeline company and later founded MYOCO Pipeline Equipment Company. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Bettyc...

ASCE holds Pipeline 2003 Conference.(Newsline: for the latest industry developments)
September 1, 2003... Over 500 people attended the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) annual International Pipeline 2003 Conference held July 13-16, in Baltimore, MD. The successful event included 50 exhibitors and 200 papers presented by authors from...

FERC judge opens door to lower oil pipeline rates.(Washington Watch)
September 1, 2003... Petroleum refiners and the dominant oil pipeline in the west, the Santa Fe Pacific Pipeline controlled by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, are trying to convince the FERC commissioners to accept their version of what was wrong with Administrative...

Pinpoint Laser Systems.(Lasers)
September 1, 2003... The Laser Microgage 2000 cylindrical laser is a new laser device for aligning drives and industrial systems. The cylindrical alignment laser is coupled with a hand-held digital display for aligning bores, rotating machinery, drive systems,...

AGL.(Lasers)
September 1, 2003... AGL's GradeLight 2500 pipe laser has all the features and benefits for productivity and control solutions to meet contractors' requests for faster and simpler alignment and set-up. The GradeLight 2500 has a bright, visible beam that can be seen...

Topcon Positioning Systems.(Lasers)
September 1, 2003... Topcon Positioning Systems' RL-H3CS GC/point-matching slope laser offers all the features of the RL-H3C with the added versatility of single slope capability. It is a fully automatic, self-leveling laser economically priced for elevation and...

Apache Technologies.(Lasers)
September 1, 2003... The output power of the new ARROW 2 Pipe Laying Laser almost 5.0 milliwatts, the legal limit. This high output power assures a visible beam spot in all applications. The ARROW 2 is designed to withstand the tough environment of the pipe laying...

Trimble Engineering & Construction.(Lasers)
September 1, 2003... The Spectra Precision DG711 and DG511 pipe laser are waterproof and designed to ensure easy clean up. Setup is fast with a full range of mounting accessories available, and easy to use with "no instructions required" controls. The Service Alert...

Leica Geosystems.(Lasers)
September 1, 2003... Beam Aligners from Leica Geosystems provide contractors with the option of a bright green or red beam when working in gravity flow pipe lines, storm and sanitary sewers or anywhere grade and line are required with a single beam. The 6700 Series...

Digital Control Inc.(Walkover Locators)
September 1, 2003... The DigiTrak Eclipse locating system for the HDD industry is the first tracking system to display the drill head location and locate points in a real-time bird's-eye view. The Eclipse's large display window and intuitive graphics make tracking...

Leica Geosystems.(Pipe/Cable Operators)
September 1, 2003... The Digicat 100 Digital Locator is designed to provide a fast and safe solution for tracing buried utility services. Several safety features built into the Digicat 100 make this a unique, cost-effective system. The Digicat 100 utilizes three...

Rycom.(Pipe/Cable Operators)
September 1, 2003... The Path Finder series boasts an innovative concept--the receiver is a one-piece design that is lightweight and accurate. The filtering of the Path Finder receiver picks up signals easily at waist height. The Path Finder pinpoints underground...

Subsite electronics (Ditch Witch).(Walkover Locators)
September 1, 2003... The Ditch Witch Subsite 950 R/T system is designed to quickly and accurately locate buried telephone, power, CATV, gas, sewer and water line on most job site conditions. The 950R receiver weighs 4.5 pounds, and is ergonomically designed to make...

Radiodetection.(Walkover Locators)
September 1, 2003... The SL-2 is a buried pipe and cable locator combining an active locate mode (either 8, 33 or 64kHz) with two passive modes (Power and Radio). The locator can also detect frequency-compatible non-directional sondes and provides a push-button...

McLaughlin Mfg.(Pipe/Cable Locators)
September 1, 2003... The Verifier Digital Locator from McLaughlin Manufacturing has two active frequencies and two passive frequencies. The transmitter can induce a frequency via the direct, inductive or coil clamp modes through a 3-war transmitter. Key benefits...

Metrotech.(Pipe Cable Locators)
September 1, 2003... Metrotech's 9860 XT Dual Frequency Line Locator is designed for multiple utility locating in water, gas distribution pipelines, power and fault locating applications. Active frequencies are 9.8 kHz and 82kHz and passive frequencies are...

Schonstedt Instrument.(Pipe Cable Locators)
September 1, 2003... The TraceMaster pipe and cable locator offers a remote link between the transmitter and the receiver. The receiver operates with only two buttons and two knobs with minimum training. The TraceMaster's exclusive RF link changes frequencies and...

Goldak.(Pipe Cable Locators)
September 1, 2003... The model 5600-SI pipe and cable locator is a portable electronic instrument used by utility companies such as gas, telephone, power and cable television industries, as well as municipalities and contractors. Goldak's patented technology...

BT files suit on U.S. long-haul fiber network owners: infringement on fiber blowing patent alleged; contractors not sued yet.
September 1, 2003... London-based British Telecom (BT) has filed lawsuits against six American telecommunications carriers alleging that the companies infringed on patents owned by the company during construction of their long-haul fiber optic networks. Named...

Bobcat's 430 mini-ex jumps ahead with new features.(First Look)
September 1, 2003... Bobcat has introduced a new compact excavator with features the company says set it apart from any other mini-excavator on the market. The Bobcat 430 is the world's first compact excavator with "zero house swing" and a true hydrostatic...

"Push" replaces "pull" on major Texas water job: side-by-side: compact excavator and HDDS.(First Look)
September 1, 2003... Most would think that true trenchless job--specifically, horizontal directional drilling (HDD)--might involve only HDD units and the usual trenchless support equipment: drill heads and backreamers, people are understanding the supporting role...

Revolutionary pipelayer introduced by DavCrane.(First Look)
September 1, 2003... Every now and then, a new equipment design comes along that is both creative and comprehensive in scope. Such is the case of DavCrane Inc.'s Davis Pipelayer, or DPL 25-83. Already field tested, the new generation hydraulic pipelayer holds...

HDPE used for glycol transport at DFW Airport.
September 1, 2003... DFW International Airport, located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, is the world's third busiest, serving 55 million passengers a year. The airport is undergoing a five-year, $2.6 billion expansion that is due to be completed in the...

Auger boring finds success in Georgia projects.
September 1, 2003... Auger boring is an efficient, dependable method of trenchless construction which is especially suited to difficult soil conditions where large-diameter pipe must he installed beneath highways, railroad tracks and other surface obstructions. ...

Ditch Witch[R] mini escavators introduced.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Ditch Witch[R] Mini Escavators Introduced Five mini excavators have been added to the Ditch Witch[R] line of underground construction equipment. Models range in size from .9 metric ton to 4.5 metric ton with digging capabilities ranging...

Reeds Saw It[TM].(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Reed's Saw It[TM] provides pneumatic Power and reciprocating motion to blades and is a great for hard-to-reach places Cuts up to 20" (500 rnm) diameter pipe with as single set-up. The Saw It[TM] must be held in place. The recommended Saw It[TM]...

Godwin Dri-Prime[R] pumps.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Godwin Dri-Prime[R] Pumps The Godwin Dri-Prime--a totally automatic self-priming centrifugal pumpset available in sizes from 2" to 16"--has been proven in many types of bypass pumping applications, general dewatering and other uses. With...

New Hydraulic Boom & Sewer Jetter.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... NEW HYDRAULIC BOOM & SEWER JETTER offers a low cost alternative to street trucks. Available on certain vaXcavator[R] models, the 4-function boom rotates 270[degrees] raises/lowers, extends/retracts, and shuts off airflow through the collection...

Shredder backreamer.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Shredder Backreamer Melfred Borzall's extensive line of backreamers for directional drilling includes the Shredder. Carbide-tipped cutting teeth are strategically placed to efficiently rip through tough ground conditions. Angled fluid...

New Ditch Witch[R] mini skid steer introduced.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... New Ditch Witch[R] Mini Skid Steer Introduced The Ditch Witch[R] line of underground construction equipment has been expanded to include a new mini skid steer--the SK500. This compact, walk-behind model is, designed and manufactured for a...

McElroy Tracstar.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... From unloading to loading, and everything in between, the McElroy TracStar line of fusion equipment is designed with speed in mind. The timesaving feature is its ability to maneuver into position under the pipe ends for fast alignment. The...

Astec Underground.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Astec Underground American Augers and Trencor, now known as Astec Underground, are industry-leading Manufacturers of trenches; horizontal directional drills, boring machines, mud systems and downhole tooling. Our equipment is in service,...

Horizontal Rig and Equipment.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Power packs for any brand of HDD rigs are available from Horizontal Rig and Equipment (HRE). Singe and dual engine units can be mounted on skids, oil field skids, trailers, or inside sound suppression containers. HRE builds rigs with 180,000 to...

Central Mine Equipment.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Central Mine Equipment The CME-SODD is a simple, rugged and reliable mid size directional drill that provides 50,000 lbs. of thrust and retract and over 9,000 ft/lbs, of rotary torque. The CME 50DD features a rack and pinion, feed and...

New Fault Finder locating system by McLaughlin.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... NEW FAULT FINDER LOCATING SYSTEM by McLAUGHLIN The affordable Verifier[R] Vision Fault Finder by McLaughlin Mfg. Co. can pinpoint ground faults of buried electric, CATV and telecommunication cables, and even trace and identify cable depth......

LETS.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... LETS Aries raises industry standard with the release of their updated LETS. Aries LETS inspects lateral lines up to 120" from main line sewerlines. A new Pan & Tilt Camera is provided to assist with mainline inspection and lateral...

Baroid IDP.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... Baroid IDP supplies a comprehensive line of drilling fluid products to the industrial drilling industry through a global distribution network with specialized products available for HDD & construction. Our new product N-SEAL[TM] lost...

Grundodrill 4X.(ICUEE Exhibit In Print)
September 1, 2003... The compact Grundodrill 4X, designed for residential service and "last mile" operations, will be on display at ICUEE 2003 in booth K155. The Grundodrill 4X offers 9,800 pounds of thrust and pullback. The drill features a dual hydrostatic pump...

UCT 2004: preliminary program, extensive show plans announced: Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition: January 13-15: it's all about underground.
September 1, 2003... Turning the economic corner seems to be on everybody's minds these days in the underground construction and rehabilitation industry. All indicators seem to be pointing to an improving 2004 and, as preparations are kicking into full gear, that's...

Listening to sewers: Infrasource develops system to help HDD operators with damage prevention.(Directional Drilling)
September 1, 2003... InfraSource Underground Services has developed a device to immediately warn crews operating horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment when a pilot bore accidentally strikes a sewer line. The instrument consists of a sensitive...

Contractor makes the grade on sewer job.(Directional Drilling)
September 1, 2003... Louisiana utility contractor Allen & LeBlanc LLC, has completed its first on-grade sanitary sewer project by horizontal directional drilling (HDD) using the patented ArrowBore process. The Baton Rouge, LA, company was general contractor for...

Astec Underground.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The DD-10, with 100,000 pounds of thrust/pullback and 15,000 foot pounds of rotary torque, is the most powerful self-contained drill available. In spite of all of its power, the DD-10 is compact and ideal for use in urban and neighborhood...

McLaughlin Mfg.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The Model McL-10H Versa-Mole from McLaughlin Mfg. Co., gives contractors a choice of underground installation methods to accommodate both their soil and job conditions. Available in 5 foot and 7 foot lengths, both only 31-inches wide, the...

Vermeer.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... Vermeer Manufacturing has added yet another NAVIGATOR horizontal directional drilling machine to its trenchless collection with the D100x120. The D100x120 HDD features many of the same benefits as its predecessors, such as rack and pinion...

Stewart & Stevenson.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... Stewart & Stevenson's DCT 800 is a newly developed directional coiled tubing unit for horizontal directional drilling, which provides a faster, more convenient directional drilling system for installing underground utilities. A self-contained...

Central Mine Equipment.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The CME-50DD is a mid-size machine that provides more than 50,000 pounds of thrust and over 9,000 foot-pounds of rotary torque. Features include all hydraulic controls, dual range thrust and rotation, floating carriage, patent pending open top...

TT Technologies.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The compact Grundodrill 4X is specifically designed for residential service and "last mile" operations. The Grundodrill 4X offers 9,200 pounds of thrust and pullback. The drill features a dual hydrostatic pump system that gives the operator...

Melfred Borzall Inc.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... Quick Shot is the ideal directional drilling system for fast service installations in areas of limited access. It stands apart from the other rigs by beginning the bore from a pit at the required depth. A 30-foot setup space is no longer needed...

Case Corporation.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... Case's 60 Series turbo horizontal directional drills--the 6010 Turbo and the 6030 Turbo--include more power and reliability from a patent pending drive system, "smart" performance-optimizing technology, innovative design and proven Case...

Ditch Witch.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The Ditch Witch JT4020 All Terrain horizontal directional drilling system offers rock-drilling capabilities using an exclusive mechanical dual-drive drilling system. The self-contained 40,000-pound pullback model permits effective drilling and...

Horizontal Rig & Equipment.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... Horizontal Rig & Equipment's 45-foot trailer-mounted rig features: dual-axle suspension; 460,000 foot-pounds push/pull torque with a rotation speed of approximately 70 rpm; and a rotate/torque of 53,000 foot-pounds. The rig employs a 750...

Robbins HDD.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The Robbins HDD maxi product line-up of horizontal directional drills begins with the thrust/pullback capacity of 180,000 pounds on the 18030TMSC. This unit can drill up to 4,500 feet in soft soil or rock. The 18030TMSC is a heavy-duty,...

Laney Directional Drilling.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The Laney LDD 120/30 Rig 7 is self-contained medium size horizontal drilling rig capable of using a drill stem that is 30-feet long by 4-inchcs in diameter. The maximum pipe handling diameter is 20 inches and up to 2,000 leer in length. It can...

Terra AG.(HDD Rigs)
September 1, 2003... The TERRA-JET 4514 D is a new HDD machine manufactured by Terra AG. With a torque of 3,320 foot-pounds, a pullback force of 31,000 pounds and a drilling fluid volume of 49 gpm, it can produce directional bores up to 1,000 feet in length. In...

Drilling fluids selection guide.(Directional Drilling)
September 1, 2003... Bentonite-Based Baroid Drilling Fluids Circle No. 188 Bore-Gel: Specifically blended system using high-yield Wyoming sodium bentonite. When mixed with fresh water, develops an easy to pump slurry with desirable properties for HDD...

Folded pipe: proves perfect fit for culverts.(Rehabilitation Technology)
September 1, 2003... Folded pipe technology is a well-established method of trenchless construction that is widely recognized as an effective way of rehabilitating deteriorating and damaged utility pipes. It is routinely used for a variety of applications. ...

Tuscaloosa selects SSET for sewer pipeline assessment.(Rehab News)
September 1, 2003... The city of Tuscaloosa, AL, has selected Blackhawk-PAS' Sewer Scanner and Evaluation Technology (SSET), to produce a comprehensive and accurate internal pipeline assessment of their sanitary sewer collection system. The city was introduced...

NASSCO certifies three software vendors.(Rehab News)
September 1, 2003... In August, NASSCO awarded PACP (Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program) certification to three software vendors. The three approved vendors are: Peninsular Technologies, Pipe Tech, version 4.0.10; flexidata, version 6.1; and TwC Design,...

Insituform elects new CEO, chairman.(Rehab News)
September 1, 2003... Thomas S. Rooney, Jr., president and chief operating officer of Insituform Technologies Inc., has been elected chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors. At the same time, Alfred L. Woods, an independent member of the...

Severn Trent names new VP.(Rehab News)
September 1, 2003... Severn Trent Services has named Carla Proulx as vice president of New Hampshire operations for its Pipeline Services group. This part of the comprehensive Severn Trent business offers wastewater flow monitoring and sampling; combined sewer...

Underground Solutions expands operations.(Rehab News)
September 1, 2003... Underground Solutions Inc. has entered into a Duraliner Certified Contructor Agreement with J. Fletcher Creamer & Son Inc., a national multifaceted contracting company with a special emphasis in underground utility construction. ...

Pipe survey reporting software now PACP certified.(Rehab News)
September 1, 2003... flexidata, a leader in the development of complete turnkey pipe survey reporting solutions, has announced its PACP certification by NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies) for the latest version of its pipe survey reporting...

Pearpoint.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... The P494 Camera features full 360-degree pan and tilt for maximum viewing capacity, composite and component (SVHS) output and 1 lux digital video processing. The system is designed for inspection applications in lines 6 inches and larger in...

iPEK Spezial-TV.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... iPEK Spezial TV manufactures the latest in video pipeline inspection equipment. Whatever your application--sewer, water, storm water or electrical conduit--iPEK has the expertise and the tools to help. Valued throughout the world for their...

Ratech Electronics.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... Ratech's PH Jr. small pipe TV inspection system is now available in full spectrum color. The PH Jr. color system maintains the quality of Ratech's high end units with an affordable entry level cost. The miniature color inspection camera...

Electric Eel Mfg.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... The EELCAM pipeline inspection systems from Electric gel are compact and easy to use. The EELCAM Elite System EC-15LCD has a 1.5-inch diameter color camera with scratch resistant sapphire lens. A standard unit comes with a color 15-inch LCD...

Aries Industries.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... The RAPTOR Cutter is a reliable cutter system to reinstate and remove protruding laterals. The Raptor is designed of stainless steel and bronze construction and is mechanically engineered for stable performance in 6- to 24-inch lines during...

R.S.Technical Services.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... R.S. Technical Services Inc. has been building, durable reliable equipment for more than 22 years. The Omni-Eye series of cameras was the first rotating head camera with integrated lights, and optical grade sapphire lenses. Each product RST...

Radiodetection.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... The GatorCam2 System is a user-friendly inspection system and provides a means of viewing the internal condition of pipes, conduits, small ducts and similar passages. The system comes with a rugged, versatile control box with full monitoring,...

CUES.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... The CUES Mini-Push 2020 is an all-inclusive, ready-to-use, portable, color video inspection system. The Mini-Push 2020 uses video technology to view and record pipelines from 2 inches in diameter and larger and can operate with existing CUES...

UEMSI.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... The UEMSI water pipeline submersible camera fits in 2-inch pipes with built-in VCR. The unique waterproof camera uses an adjustable high powered light and built-in stabilizer to produce a crystal clear image. Negotiate areas up to 200 feet in...

Everest VIT.(Product focus: remote inspection & repair equipment)
September 1, 2003... The Ca-Zoom PTZ 6.0 Digital Inspection System provides increased zoom capability with the iView image management platform and remote control pendant with LCD monitor all configured in a wheeled, portable and durable shipping/carrying case....