There is a common discussion taking place across the United States today that may sound a bit different depending on where you live and what your local economic and political climate is, but the common underlying question is simply this: Is government operating with maximum effectiveness and efficiency to achieve long-term sustainability?

It has often been said that the best way to learn how to do a thing is to ask experienced people what mistakes they have made and what corrective steps they took in subsequent projects. After 40 years of experience in sewer-related projects as a regulator, an Owner and a consultant, I have seen many successful sewer rehabilitation projects as well as many others that did not fare well.

Governments, public work departments and utilities in an effort to continue to streamline costs and efficiencies are turning to technology to gain control of current and future costs.

While the broader construction industry struggles through the worst recession in everyone?s lifetime, executives of utility infrastructure firms have much for which to be thankful.

In 2011, Woolpert is celebrating a major milestone: its 100th year in business. Established in 1911 as a surveying company, Woolpert has grown over the past 100 years to a fully integrated, multidisciplinary firm with more than 650 employees in 23 offices across the United States.

MWH Soft announced it has a new name ? Innovyze. The new name and logo more accurately reflect the company?s rich history of creating innovative, technically advanced modeling and management solutions for the world?s water and wastewater communities.

InfraMetrix LLC announced a new buried infrastructure diagnostic service that utilizes broadband electromagnetic (BEM) eddy current technology.

The City of New Orleans selected Echologics Engineering Inc., a leader in water infrastructure diagnostic technologies, to oversee its water loss management and water pipe integrity assessment initiative.

The No-Dig Show, the annual conference and exhibition of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), attracted a record crowd at the Gaylord National Resort in Convention Center near Washington, D.C., March 27-31.