
2023 Trenchless Technology Projects of the Year Announced
Trenchless Technology, the leading publication covering the trenchless marketplace, has announced the winners of its 31st annual Trenchless Technology Projects of the Year for 2023 — the most prestigious trenchless industry project awards. Projects are awarded in New Installation and Rehabilitation categories.
The announcement was made today during a special Trenchless Technology Perspectives Live Webinar, as part of World Trenchless Day (Sept. 28, 2023).
This year’s overall winning projects for New Installation and Rehabilitation feature the trenchless applications of microtunneling and cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) relining.
“Once again, the entries for our annual Projects of the Year showcase the difficulty, inventiveness and tenacity needed to complete these incredibly complicated and immense projects,” says Trenchless Technology editor Sharon M. Bueno. “The uniqueness and diversity in the trenchless methodologies used in all of these projects — and particularly those that earned our awards — continues to blow me away. The trenchless industry continues to lead the way in construction innovation and expand the boundaries of trenchless applications. Congratulations to all of our 2023 winners!
“We want to thank everyone who submitted their projects for consideration, making the decisions of our New Installation and Rehabilitation Committees such a difficult task,” she adds.
The Trenchless Technology Project of the Year for New Installation is Malcolm Tweddle & Edith Rogers (MTER) Sewer Improvement Initiative in the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Microtunneling was specified for this endeavor and proved to be the star of this project. Contractor Bothar Inc. completed a portion of the overall project that included installation of 1,257 m of 3,000-mm ID reinforced concrete jacking pipe (RCJP), 217 m of 800-mm ID of RCJP using Herrenknecht TBM systems, comprised of six individual tunnel drives, 10 manholes and number of catch basins that collect and drain future stormwater to purpose-built dry ponds during major storm events. EPCOR Utilities (EPCOR), Bothar Inc., AECOM and the City of Edmonton worked together to overcome trying and complex obstacles that included a highly space-restrictive project site, heavy congestion of existing underground utilities and complicated logistics.
Other projects recognized in the New Installation category are: Golden Ears Force Main and River Crossing, Langley, British Columbia (Runner-up); Hydraulic Improvements to the High Level Sewershed Collection System, Baltimore (Honorable Mention); and Reclaimed Water Transmission Main – Caloosahatchee River Crossing, Cape Coral, Florida (Honorable Mention).
This year’s Trenchless Technology Project of the Year for Rehabilitation is the Robert W. Hite Plant and Interceptor Rehabilitation Project. Colorado-based Metro Water Recovery (Metro) determined that critical conduits leading to – and inside of – the Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility needed repairs. Employing a construction manager at risk (CMAR) project delivery method allowed Metro to handle the bulk of the project engineering design and Inliner Solutions, a PURIS Company, to handle the construction management and contracting work for the project in a collaborative manner. Though there are many aspects that are award-winning, it’s the rehabilitation of approximately 2,000 lf of reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) at the facility via cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) and sliplining, while maintaining the plant’s 130 million gallons per day (MGD) capacity average daily flow that earned this project our Rehabilitation award.
Other projects recognized in the Rehabilitation category are: Rehabilitation of Two Drinking Water Pipes with UV – Pont de la Concorde, Montreal, Quebec (Runner-up); Asbestos Abatement UV CIPP Rehabilitation Through Protected Environment, Santa Maria, California (Honorable Mention); and Port Moody Shoreline Trail Force Main Rehabilitation, Port Moody, British Columbia (Honorable Mention).
Winners are featured in the October 2023 issue of Trenchless Technology and will be formally recognized at the 2024 NASTT No-Dig Show, to be held in Providence, Rhode Island, April 14-18. Winners are chosen on the basis of technical advancement, technical complexity, milestones and records achieved, interaction and cooperation and advancement of the trenchless industry.
Spearheading our Project of the Year process is managing editor Mike Kezdi, working with two committees of New Installation and Rehabilitation experts representing a cross section of the industry.