As the demand for quality underground infrastructure grows, organizations like NASSCO are answering the call through the development of valuable resources, improved education and stronger industry collaboration.

In August, I spoke about the value of NASSCO’s partnerships with some of the outstanding organizations out there like the Water Environment Federation, Louisiana Tech’s Trenchless Technology Center, and the Center for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education at the University of Texas Arlington. The American Society of Civil Engineers joins this growing list of industry partner associations, and has taken a proactive step to unify the industry by unveiling a new institute focusing on utility engineering and surveying.

The newly formed Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI) was introduced at the ASCE Pipelines 2015 Conference in Baltimore in August and will step up the efforts of the former ASCE Pipelines Division. Created to bring together professionals engaged in utility and pipeline infrastructure engineering, planning, design, construction, mapping, coordination, operations, and asset management, UESI is ultimately a resource focusing on all utility pipelines, regardless of the products they transport.

“Civil engineering professionals working within the utility engineering and surveying communities need a recognizable home which they can join to collectively work to improve our professions,” says UESI’s first president, Randy Hill, P.E., F.ASCE. “UESI is now that home, and we thank the Board of Directors for its careful deliberation and vote of confidence.”

By centralizing utility and pipeline engineering and surveying professionals into a single institute, UESI hopes to become the leader in standards development, manuals of practice, and educational opportunities for state-of-the-art engineering practices in utility engineering and surveying.

NASSCO supports the UESI vision through our mission to set standards for the assessment and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure and to promote the continued acceptance and use of trenchless technologies.

This collaboration opens up many doors for inter-association initiatives. Specifically, it is my hope that UESI and NASSCO can join forces — as we do with many other organizations — to improve training quality and expand opportunities to educate and inform as many professionals as possible.

Initiatives may include the joint publication of the new CIPP Manual of Practice, online training to support the industry, and events to bring professionals together in order to share valuable information.

Many of NASSCO’s members are currently active in ASCE Pipelines and I strongly encourage continued collaboration with UESI and other like-minded organizations to help us identify areas in which we can collectively improve and grow our industry to set standards which benefit us all. To learn more about UESI, visit www.asce.org/uesi.

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Get the EDge  Training and Continuing Education Courses

PACP TRAINING

November 12-13 Seattle, WA
PACP Only
PACP Re-Certification seats available.
Contact John Jurgens for more information or to register: 425-487-3325 or email nodig@aol.com

November 17-19 San Francisco, CA
Includes Manholes and Laterals!
Recertifications Welcome
Trainer: Brandon Conley
Contact Ashley Groves for more information or to register: 248-349-0904 or email pacp@dohenycompanies.com

November 17-19 Ontario, CA
Includes Manholes and Laterals!
A limited number of PACP Re-Certification seats available.
Contact Marilyn Shepard for more information or to register: 916-899-8961 or email mshepard1@hotmail.com

November 17-19 Denver, CO
Includes Manholes and Laterals!
PACP Re-Certification seats available.
Contact Paul Booth for more information or to register: 304-647-0757 or email woodsidescheduling@gmail.com

November 19-20 & 23 Framingham, MA
Includes Manhole and Laterals!
Recertifications Welcome
Contact Laurie Perkins for more information or to register: 603-606-4420 or email laurie.perkins@wright-pierce.com

November 23-25 Hillsboro, OR
Includes Manholes and Laterals!
A limited number of PACP Re-Certification seats available.
Contact Marilyn Shepard for more information or to register: 916-899-8961 or email mshepard1@hotmail.com

December 8 Marriottsville, MD
PACP User Recertification
Trainer: Ted DeBoda
Contact Dawn Jaworski for more information or to register: 410-442-7473 or email dawn@nassco.org

December 8-10 Cambridge, MA
Includes Manhole and Laterals!
Recertifications Welcome
Contact Laurie Perkins for more information or to register: 603-606-4420 or email laurie.perkins@wright-pierce.com

December 8-10 Conyers, GA
Includes Manhole and Laterals!
Recertifications Welcome
Contact John Jones for more information or to register: 404-431-5584 or email plumblineconsultant@gmail.com

December 8-10 La Porte, TX
Includes Manholes and Laterals!
Recertifications Welcome
Trainer: Brandon Conley
Contact the Camera Department for more information or to register: 248-349-0904 or email pacp@dohenycompanies.com

December 8-10 Sacramento, CA
Includes Manholes and Laterals!
A limited number of PACP Re-Certification seats available.
Contact Marilyn Shepard for more information or to register: 916-899-8961 or email mshepard1@hotmail.com

December 9-11 Seattle, WA
Includes Manholes and Laterals!
PACP Re-Certification seats available.
Contact John Jurgens for more information or to register: 425-487-3325 or email nodig@aol.com

ITCP TRAINING (CIPP and Manhole)

December 1-3 Sioux Falls, SD
Cured In Place Pipe
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Day 1 • 8:00 am – 1:00 pm Day 2 Morning
Contact Gerry Muenchmeyer for more information: 252-626-9930 or email gerry@muenchmeyerassoc.com

Manhole Rehabilitation
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Day 2 Afternoon • 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Day 3
Contact Tim Back for more information:513-253-8461 or email timbacktwo.com
Courses can be taken individually.

February 1-2 Atlanta, GA (UCT)
Cured In Place Pipe
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Day 1
8:00 am – 1:00 pm Day 2
Trainer: Gerry Muenchmeyer
Contact Gerry Muenchmeyer for more information: 252-626-9930 or email gerry@muenchmeyerassoc.com