This time of year signals the beginning of longer days and warmer weather, when the national trade shows and conferences in our industry slow down for the summer. For those of us in the trenchless industry, however, things are just starting to heat up.

On the heels of the winter conference season, many of our members are applying new skills, tools and technologies to the busy summer season of underground infrastructure assessment and rehabilitation.

Some of NASSCO’s key educational highlights from the 2013-14 conference season include:

WEFTEC – October 2013: NASSCO signed a memorandum of understanding with the Water Environment Federation to collaborate on bringing standards and essential training to the industry. NASSCO and WEF continue to collaborate on a series of webinars to inform a wider audience about practical applications of a variety of trenchless technologies including chemical grouting, construction inspection for trenchless rehabilitation, manhole rehabilitation and pipe bursting. NASSCO will continue to make contributions to the WEF Operations Challenge, and work closely with the WEF Collections System Committee to promote essential training and usher in technological advances to our industry.

RehabZone – January 2014: As part of the Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition, NASSCO’s sponsorship of the The RehabZone continues to grow every year. What started as a one-year exhibit is now an integral part of the world-class UCT conference. The longevity of The RehabZone indicates the industry’s growing thirst for more and better knowledge. In 2014, the exhibit presented the latest in trenchless technologies including CCTV, sectional CIPP lining, joint and seal repairs, water main lining, lateral lining, grouting, root control, manhole linings and coatings, and other emerging technologies.

NASSCO’s Annual Conference – February 2014: The 38th Annual NASSCO Conference was better attended than any other Conference to date. NASSCO members gathered to network with peers, participate in committees and – most important – learn what’s new in the world of trenchless. Members were introduced to emerging technologies and issues in an open forum with discussions regarding cross-bore, acoustic sewer inspection, PACP-GIS, and pressure pipe condition assessment and rehabilitation technologies. The technical session concluded with a panel discussion involving several municipal members discussing current challenges in the industry.Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International – February 2014: NASSCO sponsored one of the educational tracks at the 34th annual Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International. The six NASSCO-sponsored courses at the Expo covered everything from an overview of pipe bursting technology, to the resurgence of the chemical grout industry, to fiber optic temperature sensing technology for CIPP quality control.

Other conferences and exhibits, including the 2014 NASTT No-Dig Show, also provided opportunities for NASSCO to further prepare and educate trenchless professionals through exhibits and Pipeline Assessment Certification Program training sessions.

While contractors and suppliers keep busy over the next several months rehabilitating our infrastructure, the NASSCO staff will use the warm-weather season to focus on an update to PACP (Version 7.0) and development of pipe bursting curriculum for the Inspector Training Certification Program (ITCP). In July, NASSCO’s board of directors will gather for an annual strategic planning meeting to determine how best to help guide the industry in setting standards for the assessment and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure, and to assure the continued acceptance and use of trenchless technologies. To learn more about NASSCO, please visit www.nassco.org.

Ted DeBoda is executive director of NASSCO. He can be reached at director@nassco.org.