Regardless of the size of your collections system, you have many more manholes than miles of pipe in the ground. That holds true for all utilities.

In a given system, depending on pipe and manhole size, you could have as many as a dozen or more manholes per mile of pipe. That adds up to a whole lot of potential problems per mile.

Regardless of the condition of your system, no utility is immune from manhole problems. From I&I and elevation to reconstruction and rehabilitation issues, you’re all dealing with them.

I was paying special attention to manhole solutions at this year’s WWETT Show. It’s great to see all the new tools, technology and equipment on the floor every year, and it was no different this time around. From a cool new manhole safety device designed to be highly visible to traffic and protect your workers from falls, to full rehabilitation systems that can eliminate I&I, there’s clearly a strong market for manhole improvement. It’s obvious that manufacturers are stepping up to advance the technology and fill the void.

Of course, the show covers a lot more than manholes. There are new tools and innovations for every part of your collections system, and enough knowledge and insight on the show floor to help you solve almost any problem.

You can expect to see more on these new products and a lot of other things manhole-related moving forward.

One of the things I really enjoy over the course of the year is seeing everything from the show come to life in the pages of this magazine, from new insights to tools and equipment and, of course, the people. Regardless of whether you were able to attend the show, you’ll be able to get the flavor of the show in future issues.

From the classrooms to the show floor, the whole show is an education. No matter how much technology advances and no matter how many years of experience you have under your belt, there are still new things to learn about some of the most basic services you provide. And don’t for a second question whether the technology is advancing in meaningful ways.

The future of this industry and your utilities was on display — jet/vac trucks with water recycling systems, tracks on a hydroexcavator, modular inspection crawlers, mapping and locating systems, and every pipe rehab option under the sun. If you’re looking for a better way to tackle just about any problem you have, there’s a solution for you.

The technology aimed at helping you do your job more effectively and efficiently is truly impressive, but it’s the people you meet, and the knowledge and advice you glean from conversations with them that can transform your utility.

I speak with many of you from my desk in Northern Wisconsin, but the opportunity to meet face to face, to speak with you directly and hear your stories in person really brings everything together. It’s great to hear how MSW is informing your work. That’s the goal, and it’s also the reward.

Enjoy this month’s issue.