Underground Infrastructure - February 2023 - 14

Forecast & Market Analysis
tribution improvements, expansion and
rehabilitation are also peaking. Further,
the acute drought conditions in the
western U.S. continue to force states and
cities to scramble for solutions, including
enhanced transportation and storage
systems, expanding water reuse efforts
and improving water capture programs.
The recent round of severe storms
in California and other western states
brought some welcome drought relief,
but unfortunately, failed to control, divert
and store much of the rain. Far more
was lost to a variety of factors, including
runoff into the ocean.
The storms also brough heavy snows
that accumulated in the mountains.
When winter mountain snowpacks melt
in the Spring, that flow typically drains
into rivers and ultimately replenishes
lakes and storage reservoirs. During the
lingering drought of the last several years,
snowpacks have been minimal and unable
to resupply reservoirs adequately.
Recent storms did supply heavy snow
in many mountain areas, but it takes
several winter months to build adequate
snowpack. If there isn't enough additional
snow through March, the Spring runoffs
would, again, fail to resupply reservoirs.
Needless to say, plans continue for
better water pipeline transmission to
Ideally, how much money is needed to address your immediate near-term needs?
400
318
300
dry or drought-stricken areas - assuming
additional water supplies can be
found or developed.
Relieve
Many of the survey respondents felt
a sense of relief when their cities were
200
122
107
100
82
51
23
Sewer
Water
2023
Storm Water
Sewer
Water
Near term, 5 years
How Municipal Personnel View Various Trenchless Techniques
5 = very beneficial, 4 = beneficial, 3 = somewhat beneficial, 2 = low benefit, 1 = no benefit
4.4
4.4
4.0
3.2
3.0
3.0
4.0
3.6
3.1
2.6
1.7
1.5
2.7
2.7
2.7
3.7
3.5
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.4
3.5
4.0
3.9
3.7
3.8
3.8
3.9
3.4
3.3
Storm Water
awarded grants for water or sewer projects.
" We've been falling further behind
each year with our projects, " said a
Midwest municipal employee. " Finally,
we can make a little progress and we plan
on continuing to apply for funds. "
Which brings up another question:
how much funding will go to the same cities?
Are all projects evaluated based upon
need or will the government money and
state DEQs try to spread funds around
to touch multiple projects? Some comments
from small city survey participants
indicated they were feeling slighted in the
first round of funding.
" Granted, our funding needs are a
drop in the bucket compared to [large
city]. But just because we're a small town
doesn't mean our need is any less, " said
this Mountain states municipal manager.
" We definitely have major problems and
because we are a small town means our
funding options aren't as great as our big
city neighbors. We're hoping we won't be
bypassed again this year. "
Several other small cities indicated
similar concerns.
Still, overall, this major influx of
funding has given municipalities a much
2022
2023
CIPP (UV)
CIPP
(other)
Directional
drilling
Folded
pipe
Microtunneling
14 FEBRUARY 2023 | UndergroundInfrastructure.com
Piercing
tools
Sliplining
Grout
Manhole
lining
(cementicious)
Manhole
inserts
Manhole
epoxy
(spray-on)
Chemical
root
control
Point
repair
Lateral
lining
Grout in-place
Billions

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Underground Infrastructure - February 2023

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