Revolutionizing Pump Station Design
Traditional pump station installations often involve two separate structures: a wet well and a valve vault. This can lead to challenges like differential settlement, larger excavation requirements, and extended installation timelines.
Oldcastle Infrastructure’s OneLift™ Pump Station changes the game with its single-structure design and integral valve vault. OneLift offers a turnkey solution that installs in less than a day, reduces footprint by up to 50%, and eliminates the risks associated with conventional systems.
Why Choose OneLift?
The OneLift Pump Station is engineered for efficiency, reliability, and simplicity. Here’s why it stands out:
- Single-Structure Design: Integral valve vault built into the wet well’s top portion.
- Rapid Installation: Factory pre-assembled components allow installation in under 4 hours.
- Smaller Footprint: Ideal for sites with tight space constraints.
- Reduced Excavation: Less digging means lower costs and faster project timelines.
- Sole-Source Responsibility: OneLift provides a complete package with a single point of accountability.
Key Features
The OneLift Pump Station includes a patented base module with rounded corners and a sloped bottom to prevent solids accumulation and improve flow. Its buoyancy footing sizing prevents flotation without relying on equipment weight, ensuring stability even in high groundwater conditions.
The near-rectangular shape provides more storage volume while allowing thinner, lighter walls for easier handling and installation. Each station is factory-built from stocked components of various heights to meet specific jobsite needs, enabling rapid assembly and disassembly for shipping.
Pre-Assembled for Speed
OneLift comes as a fully pre-assembled package, including all mechanical and electrical components prior to delivery. Oldcastle Infrastructure provides commissioning, operator training, and a complete warranty, meaning that your pump station can be installed in as little as four hours—dramatically reducing labor costs and project timelines.
Performance You Can Trust
The OneLift Pump Station is more than just a structural innovation; it’s a comprehensive solution designed for efficiency, reliability, and ease of maintenance. By integrating the valve vault into the wet well, OneLift eliminates unnecessary complexity and delivers a system that is both space-saving and cost-effective.
Learn more
When most people think of water loss, they picture obvious problems: burst pipes, pooling water, or visible leaks. But for utilities, the real challenge lies underground.
Non-surfacing leaks—those hidden breaks that never reach the surface—are among the most costly and difficult issues to manage.
The Hidden Problem
Non-surfacing leaks occur deep within water distribution networks, often persisting for months or even years without detection. Unlike visible breaks, these leaks don’t trigger immediate alarms. Instead, they silently drain resources, contributing to non-revenue water (NRW): water that is treated, pumped, and delivered but never billed.
The consequences are significant, including:
- Financial Loss: Millions of gallons of processed water wasted, driving up costs and reducing revenue.
- Infrastructure Strain: Undetected leaks accelerate pipe deterioration, potentially leading to catastrophic failures.
- Environmental Impact: Wasted water means wasted energy for treatment and pumping, increasing carbon emissions.
Why Traditional Methods Fall Short
Locating non-surfacing leaks is notoriously difficult. Manual inspections and reactive maintenance often fail to catch problems early, leaving utilities to deal with emergency repairs and service disruptions. These approaches are not only inefficient—they’re expensive.
A Smarter Approach
Utilities need more than guesswork—they need predictive intelligence. That’s where CivilSense™ comes in. Developed by Oldcastle Infrastructure, CivilSense™ combines real-time acoustic leak detection with predictive analytics to identify leaks before they surface.
Here’s how it works:
- Predictive Modeling: Machine learning analyzes pipe material, age, soil conditions, and historical failure data to forecast which pipes are most likely to fail.
- Acoustic Data: Sensors are deployed to detect the subtle sound patterns that indicate leaks.
- Something Something AI I can’t think of a good bold text bit to go here: advanced AI analyzes the data against a reference library of over 2.3 million acoustic signatures to determine what is a leak and what isn’t.
- Actionable Insights: Utilities receive clear risk assessments and leak reports, enabling proactive repairs and optimized investment planning.
The Result
By leveraging advanced AI and acoustic technology, CivilSense™ helps utilities:
- Reduce non-revenue water
- Prevent costly emergency repairs
- Extend the life of critical infrastructure
- Protect communities from service disruptions
Non-surfacing leaks may be invisible, but their impact is undeniable. With CivilSense™, utilities can finally make the invisible visible—and stop water loss before it starts.
Learn more
Why Grit Management Matters
Removing grit from wastewater is critical to protect pumps, valves, and downstream equipment. Without effective grit removal and dewatering, there can be:
- Equipment Damage: Abrasive grit wears out moving parts.
- Efficiency Loss: Tanks, channels, pipes, and clarifiers fill with grit, reducing capacity and operational efficiency.
- Costly Downtime: Emergency cleanouts cause unplanned downtime and expensive contractor work.
An effective grit management system follows three steps:
- Separate grit from influent flow.
- Wash grit to remove organics.
- Dewater grit for odor-free disposal.
The Grit Snail® Advantage
Engineered by Hydro International, Grit Snail® is the industry’s only belt-driven escalator system for grit dewatering and drying. Its unique design uses a quiescent clarifier to settle fine solids, employs a pleated belt to lift grit slowly—preventing re-suspension—and delivers odor-free, dry grit ready for landfill disposal.
With over 700 installations and a proven track record spanning four decades, Grit Snail® is trusted for high-load applications.
Grit Snail® delivers a variety of benefits, including:
- Improved durability
- Higher efficiency and the highest capacity
- Easier maintenance
Ready to upgrade your grit management system?
Did you know? Every day in the United States, more than 700 water mains break, contributing to the loss of six billion gallons of processed water.
For utilities, this isn’t just a technical problem—it’s a financial and environmental crisis. The culprit? Non-Revenue Water (NRW), which refers to water that is produced but never billed due to leaks, breaks, or theft.
While water theft often grabs headlines—like those in Modesto and Panoche, and as famously fictionalized in 1974’s Chinatown—the reality is that non-surfacing leaks and pipe breaks account for the vast majority of NRW. These leaks occur deep underground—out of sight—and can persist for months or even years before detection. The result: millions of gallons of treated water wasted, higher operational costs, and increased strain on aging infrastructure.
Why Non-Revenue Water Matters
The impact of NRW extends far beyond lost water. Utilities face:
- Revenue Loss: Every gallon lost is a gallon that can’t be billed.
- Escalating Repair Costs: Undetected leaks often lead to catastrophic failures requiring emergency repairs.
- Environmental Consequences: Wasted water means wasted energy for treatment and pumping, increasing carbon footprints.
- Community Risk: Infrastructure failures can disrupt service, damage property, and erode public trust.
The Challenge of Detection
Finding leaks in pipes buried deep underground is notoriously difficult. Traditional methods rely on visual inspections or reactive maintenance—approaches that are slow, costly, and often ineffective. Utilities need a smarter way to identify problems before they escalate.
The Solution: Predictive Intelligence
This is where CivilSense™ comes in. Developed by Oldcastle Infrastructure in partnership with VODA.ai, CivilSense™ uses advanced machine learning models to transform complex network data into clear, actionable insights. By analyzing factors such as pipe material, installation year, soil conditions, and historical failure data, CivilSense™ predicts which pipes are most likely to fail—and when.
Combined with real-time acoustic leak detection, CivilSense™ empowers utilities to:
- Reduce Non-Revenue Water: Identify and repair leaks before they surface.
- Optimize Repair Investments: Prioritize high-risk assets for proactive maintenance.
- Extend Asset Life: Make data-driven decisions that prevent costly failures.
Preventing Failures Before They Happen
Non-Revenue Water is an invisible drain on resources, but it doesn’t have to be. With predictive analytics and real-time detection, utilities can make the invisible visible and move from reactive to proactive asset management—saving water, money, and time.
Ready to take control of your water network?
The story of Hydro International, now a part of Oldcastle Infrastructure, began over 50 years ago with a simple, yet groundbreaking, idea: harnessing the natural energy of water flow to separate solids without relying on moving parts or high energy consumption. This concept gave birth to vortex technology, a solution that has transformed water and wastewater treatment worldwide.
In the 1960s, Hydro International founder Bernard Smisson faced a challenge while constructing a conventional side weir overflow in England. Space constraints led him to design a circular weir overflow configuration based on a vortex flow regime. This first-generation separator retained 70% of the pollution load, marking the birth of hydrodynamic vortex separation technology.
From Concept to Global Impact
By the early 1970s, Smisson’s expertise brought him to the United States as an advisor to the APWA and EPA. His work led to the development of swirl and helical-bend flow regulators, settleable-solids concentrators, and the swirl degritter.
Returning to the UK, Smisson refined vortex designs to address issues like high headloss and solids deposition, creating a patented low-energy rotary flow separator that became the foundation for Hydro International.
In 1980, Hydro International was officially formed to promote vortex separator and vortex flow control technology globally. Around the same time, Eutek Systems (later acquired by Hydro International, which is now a part of Oldcastle Infrastructure) founder George E. Wilson, PE, PhD, Diplomat ASME. Wilson adapted vortex principles to create the TeaCup®. By accelerating flow velocity and inverting the swirl concentrator design, Wilson developed a high-energy rotary flow separator capable of removing fine sand particles with exceptional efficiency.
Why Vortex Technology Matters
The significance of vortex technology lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. These systems use hydraulic energy within the flow stream to separate solids, eliminating the need for mechanical components and reducing maintenance.
Today, vortex technology is used in a variety of applications, including:
- Municipal wastewater grit separation and washing
- Surface water pretreatment
- Drinking water intake sand removal
- Solids/liquid separation across industrial processes
Grit removal systems including the HeadCell®, Grit King®, TeaCup®, and Grit Snail® are widely recognized on the market as high-performing solutions that deliver high removal efficiency for even the smallest particles.
Leading the Industry
Oldcastle Infrastructure continues to lead the industry through research, testing, and advanced modeling. With two state-of-the-art hydraulic testing facilities and decades of expertise in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Oldcastle Infrastructure optimizes vortex flow regimes and validates performance through rigorous lab and field testing. This commitment ensures that every product meets or exceeds removal efficiency standards while maintaining low energy consumption and minimal maintenance requirements.
Our collaboration with universities and regulatory agencies worldwide has helped shape performance standards for stormwater and wastewater treatment. Today, Oldcastle Infrastructure’s technologies are trusted globally for their reliability, efficiency, and proven results.
The Proof Is in the Performance
From the first vortex overflow in the 1960s to today’s advanced grit removal systems, we have remained at the forefront of water management innovation.
Our solutions deliver measurable benefits:
- High removal efficiency for fine particles
- Low energy consumption with all-hydraulic designs
- Minimal maintenance and long-term reliability
For municipalities, engineers, and operators seeking sustainable, cost-effective water treatment solutions, we offer a proven track record backed by decades of expertise.
Conclusion
For more than 50 years, we have delivered innovative water treatment technologies to the water and wastewater community, and our presence in the market continues to grow.
As Oldcastle we have taken this legacy to the next level with expanded hydraulic laboratory facilities and a significantly larger team of experts, remaining committed to advancing the science behind grit removal. This investment allows us to continually refine our products, enhance performance, and scale our solutions to meet the evolving needs of the wastewater industry.
Our goal is simple: deliver proven, high-efficiency technologies that protect infrastructure, optimize operations, and set the standard for long-term reliability.
Learn more
It’s no secret: U.S. water infrastructure is aging, and non-revenue water (NRW) is a chronic issue that drains budgets and threatens water resilience nationwide.
In 2023, Utah State University (USU) published its third study of water pipe materials, Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study and presented a range of findings that underscore the severity of the situation.
The study estimates that there are around 260,000 water main breaks every year, the average failure age of water pipe is 53 years, and utilities are losing an estimated 11% of their total water to leakage.
The study analyzed 400,000 miles of pipe—about 17% of the 2.3 million miles in the U.S. and Canada—making it the largest of its kind in North America. But even this landmark study had limitations as it couldn’t account for leaks that remain hidden underground, undetected, and unrepaired.
That’s where CivilSense™ comes in.
CivilSense™ Adds a New Layer of Insight
CivilSense™ is the only water asset management solution that combines AI-driven predictive risk analysis and real-time leak detection capabilities to help municipalities to identify areas of risk, detect hidden leaks, and prioritize repairs.
We’ve worked with municipalities and water utilities from coast to coast in 2025—from small towns to large cities—and our projects from the past year reveal some valuable hidden insights into the condition of water infrastructure in the U.S.
Here’s what our data shows:
One leak for every 1.8 miles of pipe
The USU study estimated an overall failure rate of 11.1 breaks per 100 miles of pipe each year, with a failure being defined as a leak that was detected and subsequently repaired. However, it’s important to note that the USU study was focused on pipe material and degradation, so it did not consider failures due to joint leakage or construction damage. In addition, the data did not include leaks that were detected but not repaired and could not account for leaks that were present but not yet detected.
On average, CivilSense™ detected 0.53 leaks per mile of pipe, which equates to one leak for every 1.87 miles.
Scaled up, this represents a failure rate of 53.5 breaks per 100 miles of pipe (note that this is an overall failure rate measured at a single point in time, not a per year failure rate).
However, the data set ranged from a low of 8.7 breaks per 100 miles to a high of 175.0 per 100 miles, so the average does not convey the real story—which is that there is wild variability in the number of leaks that are hidden beneath our feet.
One in five leaks was large
It’s not possible to calculate exactly what volume of water is being lost to a detected leak, but the CivilSense™ team has used test and real-world data to calibrate the AI model so that it can determine, based on the acoustic signature of the leak, whether that leak should be categorized as small, medium or large. The team then uses AWWA nominal values for each of these categories to estimate the likely volumetric loss of each leak detected.
Of the leaks that CivilSense™ detected in 2025, 21% were categorized as large, 30% were categorized as medium, and 49% were categorized as small.
Every mile of pipe was losing 4.7M gallons a year
Applying the AWWA nominal values to the leak sizes, the CivilSense™ team was able to calculate that for every mile of pipeline in the water distribution network, 9 gallons was being lost every minute. This translates to 12,907 gallons a day, or 4.7M gallons every year.
Put another way, a 100-mile section of network would be losing around 470M gallons to leaks every single year.
Hydrants, meters and mains
The leaks that were detected were distributed across all different types of assets, from curb stops to blow-off valves, and across mains, service lines and customer side. However, the majority of leaks were detected on hydrants (24%), meters (20%), and mains (16%).
Given the sheer number of these assets that are present within water distribution networks, utilities should give careful consideration to them when conducting risk analysis as part of their water asset management activities.
Conclusion
The USU study paints a dramatic high-level picture of the scale of pipe degradation and non-revenue water within our water distribution networks, and the CivilSense™ 2025 project data reveals a deeper layer of granularity that adds further detail.
The water infrastructure challenge facing municipalities and utilities is a daunting one, and resources are limited. However, taking a data-driven approach to water asset management enables decision makers to target high-risk sections of the network first—deploying resources efficiently, ensuring that budgets are allocated effectively, and addressing leaks before they become costly, disruptive major breaks.
Learn more
- Connect with one of our smart water experts
Grit—tiny inorganic particles like sand, gravel, and silt—may seem harmless, but in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), it’s a costly challenge.
For nearly a century, grit management has focused on removing inert material at the headworks to protect downstream processes. Early standards defined grit as 212 microns at 2.65 specific gravity, essentially clean silica sand.
The Hidden Problem of Grit
Why remove grit early? Because once it enters tanks, digesters, or piping, it causes:
- Tank volume loss: Grit accumulation reduces treatment process efficiency.
- Equipment wear: Abrasive particles damage pumps, augers, and centrifuges.
- Costly cleanouts: Removing grit from digesters can cost millions.
- Frequent repairs: Valves and pipes clog faster, increasing maintenance costs.
The True Cost of Poor Grit Management
When grit bypasses headworks removal, it accumulates throughout the plant—in tanks, channels, pipes, and advanced treatment processes—leading to:
- Reduced process efficiency: Tanks lose volume as grit builds up.
- Expensive cleanouts: Digesters clogged with grit can cost millions to clean.
- Accelerated equipment wear: Pumps, chains, and flights fail faster under abrasive conditions.
- Frequent pipe replacement: Grit clogs valves and piping, increasing downtime.
Modern treatment technologies like fine bubble aeration improve process control but create new grit challenges. Reduced mixing means grit settles faster, making cleanouts harder and more expensive.
Modern Challenges Require Modern Solutions
Traditional grit removal technologies—detritus tanks, aerated grit basins, and vortex units—helped, but grit still made its way downstream. Today’s advanced processes, like fine bubble aeration, are particularly hard-hit as grit settles on ceramic diffusers, reducing aeration efficiency and forcing blowers to work harder.
The most cost-effective solution? Remove grit at the headworks.
Advanced Grit Removal at the Headworks
Modern grit removal systems capture fine particles efficiently, preventing downstream damage. Benefits include:
- Lower lifecycle costs
- Reduced odor complaints
- Easier and more cost-effective disposal (clean, dry inert material)
- Protection for advanced treatment technologies
Removing grit at the headworks isn’t optional—it’s essential for plant performance and cost control.
The Solution: HeadCell®
Oldcastle Infrastructure’s HeadCell® modular stacked tray grit separator captures and retains 95% of all grit 75 micron and larger with minimal headloss, protecting downstream equipment and processes from abrasive wear and sedimentation.
Key advantages:
- Small footprint: Fits in tight spaces and enables capacity increases using existing infrastructure.
- No electrical requirements & no moving parts: Low maintenance and high reliability.
- Durable design: Long component life with minimal wear under challenging conditions.
- Flexible installation: Ideal for new plants or retrofit upgrades; can be installed in a poured-in-place concrete basin above or at grade.
By enabling plants to meet stringent environmental requirements and protect critical downstream processes, HeadCell is the ultimate grit removal solution for WWTPs.
Learn More
When it comes to stormwater infrastructure, performance over time is just as critical as performance on day one.
That’s why Oldcastle Infrastructure’s MaxWell® drywell system is supported by a comprehensive service and maintenance program, ensuring that every installation continues to deliver results year after year.
MaxWell® Drywell System: More Than Just Installation
MaxWell® is widely known for its deep infiltration capabilities and its role in sustainable groundwater recharge, especially in water-stressed regions like Southern California, but what truly sets it apart is the full lifecycle support that comes with it.
Confined-Space Certified Inspections
Our service team conducts confined-space certified inspections to identify potential issues before they become costly problems. These inspections help maintain compliance and extend the life of your stormwater system.
Routine Cleanings for Optimal Performance
Sediment, hydrocarbons, and debris can compromise infiltration rates. Our technicians perform routine cleanings and replace absorbent pillows and socks to keep your system functioning at peak efficiency.
Detailed Compliance Documentation
Regulatory compliance is non-negotiable. We provide detailed documentation after every service visit, helping municipalities and facility managers stay ahead of local and state requirements.
Advanced Filtration Support: MaxFilter® and PerkFilter®
For systems that include filtration components like MaxFilter® or PerkFilter®, Oldcastle Infrastructure offers a streamlined cartridge exchange program.
This program ensures:
- High water quality
- Reduced maintenance costs
- Quick turnaround for filter replacements
GIS Mapping and Asset Tracking
Our service program includes GIS mapping of BMP locations and service history, adding another layer of value for facility managers and municipal teams. This feature simplifies asset tracking, planning, and budgeting for future maintenance.
Why Choose Oldcastle Infrastructure for Stormwater Solutions?
With MaxWell®, customers don’t just get a product—they get a partner committed to long-term performance, compliance, and sustainability.
Discover our service and maintenance capabilities for MaxWell®.
Learn more
As the commercial director for MaxWell® at Oldcastle Infrastructure, I’ve witnessed firsthand how infiltration has evolved from a niche strategy into a central pillar of modern stormwater management.
Over the past decade, this shift has been driven by a combination of regulatory pressure, environmental awareness, and the urgent need to mitigate urban flooding. MaxWell® is not just responding to these trends—it’s helping define them.
Infiltration Over Detention: A Paradigm Shift
Municipalities and developers are increasingly prioritizing infiltration systems over traditional detention and conveyance methods. This shift reflects a growing recognition that managing stormwater at its source—by allowing it to percolate into the ground—is more effective for long-term resilience. MaxWell®’s subsurface infiltration design supports this approach by reducing runoff volume, promoting aquifer recharge, and restoring natural hydrologic cycles.
Integration with Green Infrastructure
One of the most exciting trends is the integration of infiltration systems into broader green infrastructure strategies. MaxWell® complements surface-level solutions by adding subsurface capacity that enhances overall system performance. This synergy allows for greater design flexibility and supports multifunctional landscapes that deliver both ecological and aesthetic benefits.
Meeting LID and TMDL Requirements
As regulations tighten, infiltration systems are increasingly used to meet Low Impact Development (LID) and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) benchmarks. MaxWell® is engineered to reduce pollutant loads and manage stormwater volume, making it a powerful tool for compliance. Its modular design and adaptability to various soil types and water table depths ensure it can be tailored to meet specific site and regulatory needs.
Design Flexibility and Site Adaptability
The system’s precast concrete construction and modular configuration allow it to perform across a wide range of site conditions. Whether installed in new developments or retrofit projects, MaxWell® accommodates varying infiltration rates and soil profiles. This flexibility is critical in urban environments where space, soil, and water table constraints often challenge traditional solutions.
Innovation Through Collaboration
At Oldcastle Infrastructure, we’re committed to staying ahead of the curve. We invest in research, collaborate with engineers and regulators, and continuously refine MaxWell® to meet emerging needs. This proactive approach ensures that MaxWell® remains at the forefront of stormwater innovation—ready to support communities in building more resilient, sustainable infrastructure.
Conclusion
As infiltration continues to gain momentum in stormwater management, it’s clear that the industry is moving toward solutions that are not only technically sound but also environmentally responsible. MaxWell® stands at the intersection of innovation and impact—supporting regulatory compliance, enhancing green infrastructure, and enabling resilient urban design. By staying informed on emerging trends and collaborating across disciplines, we’re not just adapting to change—we’re helping lead it.
With MaxWell®, communities can build infrastructure that works with nature, not against it, creating a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Learn more
Redefining Stormwater Infiltration for a Changing World
When we first conceptualized the MaxWell® product, our goal was clear: redefine what a stormwater infiltration system could achieve, especially in the realm of deep infiltration and groundwater recharge.
As urbanization accelerates and climate pressures intensify, the need to sustainably manage stormwater and replenish aquifers has never been more urgent.
Unmatched Depth for Groundwater Recharge
MaxWell® is engineered to infiltrate stormwater at depths that conventional systems simply can’t reach. This capability is especially critical in regions with low-permeability soils or where shallow infiltration systems fail to perform. By enabling deeper infiltration, up to 120 ft, MaxWell® empowers municipalities and developers to meet groundwater recharge targets even in geotechnically challenging environments.
Precision Design for Optimal Performance
Its vertical configuration and customizable depth options allow for precise placement below the root zone and above the seasonal high water table—ensuring optimal infiltration while protecting groundwater quality. Integrated pretreatment features remove sediment and pollutants before water enters the infiltration chamber, enhancing long-term system performance and water quality outcomes.
Driving Regional Water Sustainability
MaxWell® plays a vital role in regional water sustainability. In areas facing groundwater depletion, it offers a scalable, cost-effective, and technically robust solution to restore hydrologic balance. It supports long-term water resource planning and helps communities build resilience against drought and climate variability.
Innovation with Purpose and Impact
We are proud to offer a solution that not only meets rigorous engineering standards but also advances environmental stewardship. MaxWell® is a testament to how infrastructure innovation—when driven by purpose—can deliver lasting impact.
Learn more
In today’s rapidly changing world, the need for sustainable stormwater management and groundwater recharge has never been more urgent.
Cities and suburbs alike are facing the environmental consequences of aging infrastructure and stricter water regulations.
At Oldcastle Infrastructure, we believe that effective solutions must do more than meet technical requirements—they must also support long-term environmental resilience and community well-being.
That’s why we developed the MaxWell® Stormwater Infiltration System. More than just a drywell, MaxWell® represents a forward-thinking approach to groundwater recharge, combining proven performance with scalable design and expert support.
Whether you’re planning a new development or retrofitting an existing site, MaxWell® offers a reliable, cost-effective way to manage runoff, restore natural hydrologic cycles, and contribute to healthier ecosystems.
What is MaxWell®?
Developed by Torrent Resources, MaxWell® is Oldcastle Infrastructure’s subsurface stormwater infiltration system engineered to manage runoff by allowing water to percolate into the ground, replenishing aquifers and reducing surface discharge. With over 70,000 systems installed since 1974, MaxWell® is a proven, effective drywell solution, and our expert teams take care of design and installation—helping contractors to save time, reduce costs, and improve safety on site.
Why was MaxWell® developed?
We developed MaxWell® in response to the growing demand for sustainable stormwater management in urban and suburban environments. With increasing impervious surfaces and tightening regulations, traditional systems often fall short. MaxWell® offers a scalable, cost-effective, and high-performance alternative that integrates seamlessly into modern infrastructure.
How is MaxWell® engineered to perform across different site conditions and long-term use?
MaxWell® units are built using high-strength precast concrete, ensuring durability and long service lifetimes of over 50 years. The system is designed to accommodate varying infiltration rates, soil types, and water table depths—making it ideal for applications focused on groundwater recharge, flood mitigation, and water quality improvement.
In what ways does MaxWell® support environmental sustainability and community values?
MaxWell® contributes to broader environmental goals by promoting infiltration, restornig natural hydrologic cycles and supporting healthier ecosystems. It’s a product that not only solves engineering challenges but also aligns with community values and long-term sustainability objectives.
How does Oldcastle Infrastructure’s team enhance project success with MaxWell® through design-build expertise?
With over 50 years of experience, our team provides a project-focused design-build service that saves time, reduces cost and complexity, and improves site safety. We have full-service experts who can provide input and assistance at all stages of the drywell product lifecycle, from conception all the way through long-term maintenance.
MaxWell® is more than just a stormwater solution—it’s a reflection of how we approach infrastructure with purpose, precision, and long-term environmental impact.
Learn more
Delivering predictive insights to prevent line breaks with CivilSense™
More than 700 water mains break every day, contributing to the daily loss of six billion gallons of processed water – a staggering problem.
Facing costly challenges
With two million miles of aging and leaking pipes across the country, the United States’ water infrastructure system is at a precipice. Municipalities face the costly challenge of locating and repairing these breaks, leaving little room for much needed infrastructure upgrades.
Finding leaks and prioritizing repairs in pipes buried deep underground is a difficult task, to put it mildly. That’s why water managers are turning to the predictive power of CivilSense™ for smarter water asset management.
What is CivilSense™?
CivilSense™ combines real-time leak detection, predictive leak analysis, and expert guidance — a powerful integration of cutting-edge AI technology and Oldcastle Infrastructure’s deep industry expertise.
CivilSense™ uses two distinct machine learning models: one for real-time leak detection and another to predict which pipes are most likely to fail.
How does CivilSense™ work?
To assess the likelihood of future failures, CivilSense™ follows a three-step process.
First, a project manager works with the water management team to collect the necessary data for analysis. In addition to standard inputs, Oldcastle Infrastructure’s data scientists can identify additional data sources that can enhance predictive accuracy. If data quality or completeness is limited, the project manager may recommend strategies to maximize effectiveness.
To develop an accurate assessment of failure risk, CivilSense™ analyzes key network data, including:
- Pipe material, year of installation, and diameter
- System pressure, velocity, and usage
- Historical failure location and date
- Geographical and soil characteristics
- Climate and environmental conditions
- Proximity to roads, buildings and other assets
- Construction data
Next, Oldcastle Infrastructure’s data scientists process, clean, and structure the data to ensure the highest-quality outputs. Then, the daVinci proprietary machine learning model — developed by technology partner VODA.ai — analyzes the dataset to generate an assessment of failure risk for each individual pipe.
The results reveal both the likelihood and consequence of failure, combining these factors into a comprehensive measure of business risk exposure. With this intelligence, utilities can make proactive, data-driven decisions that extend asset life and reduce unplanned outages.
CivilSense™ forecasts the condition of individual pipes and provides insight into the likely future condition and reliability of individual pipes, providing utilities with insight into imminent breaks as well as long-term replacement, refurbishment and upgrade requirements.
In addition to its 93% real-time leak detection accuracy, CivilSense™ also delivers market-leading predictive risk analysis, consistently outperforming traditional leak prediction models, technologies and techniques. Its predictive algorithms are continually refined and improved by a dedicated team of data scientists.
Conclusion
By delivering predictive insights and real-time detection, CivilSense™ helps prevent line breaks, reduce non-revenue water, and optimize repair and upgrade investments. It’s how utilities can finally gain control over water asset management before problems happen.
Contact an Oldcastle Infrastructure specialist to learn more about predictive leak detection or to schedule a demo.
About CivilSense™
CivilSense™ – the only asset-management solution that delivers predictive and real-time AI leak detection with market-leading 93% accuracy. Backed by the expertise and scale of America’s leading infrastructure business.
Learn more
- See how CivilSense™ offers a smarter, proactive solution to costly line breaks, non-revenue water, and inefficient repairs.
- Try our ROI Calculator to find out how CivilSense™ could help you cut non-revenue water loss, improve your budget and protect economic activity.
- Download the product sheet.
- Discover how new leak detection technology saves the City of Hailey, Idaho 59M gallons of water annually in our case study.
Water scarcity is an ongoing challenge across many regions of the United States, and its effects are intensifying. In the Southwest, prolonged droughts combined with rising demand for water have placed immense pressure on natural resources, leading to the alarming depletion of vital aquifers.
To combat this, some states have implemented incentive programs such as managed aquifer recharge (MAR), which typically awards credits for recharging aquifers that can be used for future abstraction. This “groundwater banking” approach has undoubtedly helped, as the fundamental concept of this system requires that deposits be made into the aquifer in order to make withdrawals, which helps to ensure sustainable water supply. However, this process has its limitations.
In recent years, however, a promising alternative approach has emerged.
What is Recharge Net Metering?
Recharge Net Metering (ReNeM) was introduced by Bruce et al in Nature Water in 2023 and derived from the same concept as Net Energy Metering (NEM), a renewable energy incentive that rewards electricity customers for generating their own electricity and feeding it back into the grid.
Under NEM, when customers are drawing more power than being generated, they are charged for that power; however, during periods when their on-site electricity generation source is generating more electricity than being used, this surplus generation recharges the grid, and the customer is awarded with credits that are applied to their electricity bill.
ReNeM operates on the same principle, only with water as the shared public resource instead of electricity. Under the ReNeM framework, customers are charged when they draw water from public sources but are given a rebate if they invest in stormwater management techniques that infiltrate surface water back into the vadose zone.
ReNeM and MAR: what’s the difference?
Both MAR and ReNeM reward the return of water to groundwater supplies, but the main difference between the two is that MAR operates like a traditional bank—you deposit water, and you can withdraw that water at a later date—while ReNeM operates more like a shared community fund.
The MAR “groundwater banking” model is a valuable tool for incentivizing groundwater recharge in the face of water scarcity, but it has significant limitations.
The first limitation is that it isn’t really like a bank; money deposited into an account remains in that account, whereas water may infiltrate or otherwise move out of the area in which it was deposited, meaning deposits are not guaranteed to replenish the aquifer.
The second limitation is that it is like a bank, in that if there’s a “run” on groundwater then the “bank”—the aquifer—might be unable to meet demand due to, pardon the pun, insufficient liquidity.
The third is that under MAR a water “deposit” comes with the right to withdraw that deposit at a later date, meaning that what is being incentivized is balancing supply and demand at an individual user level, instead of replenishment at the aquifer level. Most MAR programs design an imbalance into the system in order that the volume of water credited for withdrawal is smaller than the volume credited for recharge, but in the face of sustained pressure from human abstraction and an increasingly dry climate, this is not always effective.
Finally, it is not always possible to implement a MAR program in a cohesive way, as private land ownership and incompatible geology mean that MAR infiltration elements are often implemented in isolation and in a way that imbalances net infiltration.
ReNeM aims to address these limitations, and it does so by decoupling deposits from withdrawals instead rewarding and incentivizing long-term, holistic infiltration and awarding rebates to landowners that account for volumes of water infiltrated and the costs associated with pumping.
For example, ReNeM rewards the collection and infiltration of precipitation during monsoon seasons or periods of intense storms; on sites that have not been optimized for stormwater capture and infiltration, the bulk of that surface water may enter natural or man-made drainage networks and leave the area without providing a significant local groundwater recharge benefit.
The depths and breadths of infiltration
Aquifers are deep-lying bodies of water that can take many years to recharge from surface water infiltration—centuries, for confined aquifers—and as human abstraction drains them far faster than they can be replenished by natural means, it is preferable to collect and infiltrate surface water using artificial means. MAR operates on precisely this assumption, using a range of shallow and deep infiltration techniques to manage surface water.
While this is undeniably beneficial in replenishing the reserves of water available for human use, its effectiveness is limited by its structure. By relying on and incentivizing individual site owners it results in a patchwork of disconnected infiltration points that, while undoubtedly effective on a local scale, fail to utilize the entire landscape—both built and natural—for collection and infiltration. As such, MAR uses only a percentage of the surface area available for collection and infiltration and can therefore only ever hope to recharge a percentage of the available precipitation. Further, its “deposit-to-withdraw” concept can disincentivize a site owner from recharging more than his or her anticipated future demand.
ReNeM broadens the scope to consider the landscape as a single collection and infiltration vector that operates continually and incentivizes a range of collection techniques that accommodate different site conditions and seasonal variations in precipitation. By also broadening the concept to incentivize a communal net recharge model, rather than an individualistic “supply-and-demand” model, individual participants share the benefit as a community.
The ideal approach to effectively replenishing our aquifers is likely to require a balance of shallow and deep infiltration techniques, with human factors, supply and demand, environmental, geographical and geological conditions all influencing the mix of methods and technologies. The ReNeM model takes this into account, though in order to achieve widespread adoption it is critical that landowners are provided with a selection of collection and infiltration options that meet their site-specific requirements, and that sufficient funding sources are made available.
The solution: champion ReNeM, improve MAR
Although the case for ReNeM is compelling, I am under no illusion that we are going to transition from MAR to ReNeM at scale any time soon. Societal, financial, and political barriers exist that can make it difficult to achieve buy-in from all the parties required to make it a success.
Nevertheless, we should continue to push for its adoption. Water is a precious, finite, shared resource, and balancing supply and demand is most likely to be achieved when we think and act as a community, sharing responsibility for its effective management.
We should continue to implement the range of stormwater management techniques that support the surface-level and shallow infiltration components of a ReNeM program, particularly in developed areas with high levels of impermeable surfaces. Detention, retention and infiltration systems such as CUDO®, StormCapture® and BioPod™ provide surface-level and shallow storage and infiltration that mimic the natural processes that were present at a site before it was developed.
We should also keep in mind that, despite its limitations, a MAR program is still overwhelmingly better than no aquifer replenishment program at all. However, where MAR is implemented, we should try to improve the way it operates. Landowners should aim to infiltrate surface water as deeply as possible, ideally around one or two feet above the boundary layer of the aquifer. This approach gets water directly to where it needs to be, while adding a natural filtration stage through the local geology.
A deep infiltration drywell such as MaxWell® is optimized for just such an application. At just 6 ft in diameter, these systems have a very small footprint but provide a drainage area of over 43,000 sq ft and a storage volume of up to 2,500 gallons, and they can infiltrate at depths of up to 120 ft. MaxWell systems in Arizona and southern California alone recharge around 4.2 bn gallons or 13,000 acre-ft of precipitation every year.
Conclusion
In the end, achieving sustainable water management requires both innovation and pragmatism. While widespread adoption of ReNeM may take time, championing its principles alongside improving MAR programs is a critical step forward.
By integrating surface-level solutions like CUDO®, StormCapture®, and BioPod™ with deep infiltration systems such as MaxWell®, we can create a layered approach that mimics natural hydrology and maximizes aquifer replenishment. Every gallon recharged represents progress toward a future where water scarcity is mitigated through shared responsibility and smarter infrastructure.
The path may be challenging, but the payoff—a resilient, sustainable water supply for generations to come—is worth every effort.
Learn more
Our nation’s water infrastructure is aging, and beneath our feet, leaking pipes are costing us gallons and dollars. A new water asset management tool taking the stage to help make this invisible issue visible, empowering decision makers to take action.
From Portales, NM, to Phillipsburg, NJ, and everywhere in between – communities across the U.S. are facing a growing issue: water main breaks.
Whether in bustling cities like Chicago and Atlanta or smaller towns like Rexburg, ID, and Hanover Township, PA, these incidents are causing costly disruptions for homeowners and businesses alike. The impact is widespread, affecting daily life and underscoring the urgent need for infrastructure resilience.
In Rexberg, ID, crews uncovered an even larger issue when conducting an initial repair that caused reduced water pressure throughout the community. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, OK, water main breaks increased by 65% since the previous fiscal year. Further, in Phillipsberg, NJ, the city delayed its first day of school because of a water main break.
Nearly every day, municipal water managers face a persistent challenge that quietly drains resources and impacts community sustainability: non-revenue water loss.
For decision makers who want to get ahead of this water asset management problem, we’ve developed a new and useful tool: the CivilSense™ ROI Calculator.
Inputting readily available information can reveal the likely scale of water loss beneath your feet, transforming complex operational data into clear financial insights that drive informed decision-making.
Quantifying the hidden costs of water loss
The CivilSense™ ROI Calculator supports municipal water asset management by making invisible losses visible. The tool enables water managers to quantify probable non-revenue water losses within their system, converting abstract percentages into concrete dollar amounts and gallon measurements that resonate with stakeholders.
Water systems lose billions of gallons annually through aging infrastructure, yet many communities struggle to articulate the true cost of these losses. The CivilSense™ ROI Calculator bridges this gap by projecting leak frequencies based on system characteristics and calculating the economic impact of main breaks before they occur.
This probabilistic capability enables the shift from reactive maintenance to proactive infrastructure management.
Valuable Analysis in minutes
Input simple system parameters — network length, variable production cost, business tax rate — and you’ll estimate:
- Annual non-revenue water loss, in gallons and dollars
- Future main-break risk likelihood
- Economic and budgetary impact of main breaks
Water main break estimations are one of the calculator’s most valuable functions. Using realworld data gathered from CivilSense™ projects carried out across the country — such as Bartow County, GA — the tool calculates probable break frequencies and the likely direct and indirect costs associated with them.
This capability helps water asset managers begin to quantify the risks inherent in their network and determine how urgently they need to conduct a more targeted analysis to detect and locate leaks.
Water asset management data
Community leaders can input their specific system details through guided prompts, with the tool instantly converting these parameters into understandable metrics.
If particular information isn’t available or isn’t known, the tool uses national averages and calculated data to provide a representative assessment.
The result is immediate feedback as data is input, allowing decision makers to explore different scenarios and understand how various factors influence their system’s efficiency.
This interactive approach facilitates a better understanding of water loss dynamics and their financial consequences.
Supporting strategic planning and funding
The calculator’s output extends beyond basic loss calculations to support comprehensive water asset management, financial, and operational planning. Generated reports provide the documentation necessary for grant applications, budget proposals, and board presentations, strengthening the business case for infrastructure investments or leak detection and risk
analysis projects.
Municipal leaders increasingly require data-driven justification for capital expenditures, which is why the CivilSense™ ROI Calculator is the ideal tool that translates initial technical assessments into financial language that resonates with decision-makers.
With the CivilSense™ ROI Calculator, communities can demonstrate the potential cost-benefit relationship of infrastructure improvements with confidence, supported by reliable calculations and professional reporting.
Learn more
In the race to deliver fast, reliable broadband to U.S. homes, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments are expanding rapidly. Yet while fiber is transforming last-mile connectivity, the internal wiring within the home still plays a critical role in ensuring performance, reliability, and security. As device counts surge and remote work, streaming, and smart home features become standard, structured wiring is increasingly being recognized as a foundational element in high-performing home networks.
Why Structured Wiring Is Still Relevant in a Wireless World
WiFi is indispensable, but it isn’t infallible. Signal degradation, interference, and bandwidth bottlenecks are common in homes with multiple users and connected devices. Structured wiring complements WiFi by providing a stable, high-bandwidth backbone for core applications like work-from-home setups, streaming, and gaming.
Unlike ad hoc cabling or over-the-air reliance, structured wiring uses a planned, centralized architecture, which is often centered around a media panel, to route fiber, Ethernet, and coax where it’s needed. It simplifies installation, supports higher throughput, and reduces troubleshooting.
Wired Connections Strengthen Security
Security is a growing concern for broadband providers and developers alike. Structured wiring minimizes exposure to common wireless vulnerabilities. A physical, point-to-point network setup reduces the risk of interference and unauthorized access, especially for security devices like smart cameras and sensors.
When used with Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices, structured wiring can also reduce reliance on home electrical outlets, eliminating risks associated with unsecured, plug-in network extenders or WiFi bridges.
Support for Smart Home Devices and Futureproofing
From lighting controls and video doorbells to smart thermostats and energy monitors, the number of PoE-powered devices is growing. These systems often demand a more reliable, wired connection. Structured wiring provides the physical infrastructure needed to support these technologies now and in the future. As device counts grow (now averaging 21 per home up from 11 in 2019) structured cabling helps ensure that performance doesn’t suffer due to WiFi congestion or poor signal quality.
Deployment Made Easier with the Right Solutions
For broadband installers working on FTTH projects, structured wiring doesn’t have to complicate the job. Media panels like the Primex P3000 for new builds and PR10 for retrofit projects offer a secure, centralized point for routing Ethernet and fiber, supporting clean installations and future serviceability. Products like the FTC2 Fiber Wall Plate simplify in-room terminations, making it easier to maintain signal integrity in retrofit or greenfield settings.
These structured cabling tools are ideal for:
- Single-family FTTH deployments
- Multi-dwelling unit (MxU) builds
- Managed WiFi and smart community developments
Why It’s Good for Business
Structured wiring reduces rework, simplifies maintenance, and creates a professional install standard that benefits both ISPs and homeowners. As providers work to meet BEAD program goals and expand service into more communities, structured wiring helps deliver reliable connectivity that’s easier to support long-term.
Wireless is here to stay, but so is the need for a strong wired foundation. Structured wiring strengthens the entire network, reduces friction for installers, and ensures FTTH projects deliver the speed, security, and performance that customers expect.
Oldcastle Infrastructure supports smarter broadband deployment with media panels, fiber wall plates, enclosures, and fiber routing tools that make structured wiring easier to plan and install. Explore our Communications Solutions to see how we help you connect more homes, more efficiently.
New solutions to the problem of combined sewer overflows
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) present environmental and health hazards to around 700 communities in the US. New technologies are providing new ways to approach and reduce those risks.
CSO events
A combined sewer—as its name suggests—carries both wastewater and stormwater in a single pipe. In order to prevent downstream treatment plants from becoming overwhelmed, combined sewers are designed to allow overflow during intense storm events or sustained periods of elevated rainfall. Under these conditions, these CSO events act as a kind of “safety valve” within the system, relieving pressure by discharging a proportion of untreated or partially treated sewage directly into a waterway.
While this helps to keep wastewater treatment plants operating safely and effectively, these spills nonetheless present an environmental and health risk to the bodies of water into which the spills are discharged, and to the communities within which they are located.
While most communities in the US have separate sanitary and stormwater sewer systems to prevent the influence of stormwater in the wastewater sewers, today around 700 municipalities, primarily around the Great Lakes and in the north east, operate with combined sewer systems. This is primarily due to the age and density of the utility infrastructure within them: it is either physically or financially unfeasible to separate the existing combined sewer systems.
While progress on spills is being made—EPA estimates indicate that in 2004 a total CSO volume of 850 billion gallons was discharged, and that by 2020 that had halved—these outflows continue to discharge billions of gallons of untreated waste every year.
Causes of CSOs
The underlying cause of all CSOs is a volume of wastewater and stormwater within a system that exceeds the capacity of that system.
There are broadly three factors that result in this situation: weather, blockages, and failures.
Weather
The most visible cause of CSO events is heightened flow into the system as a result of storm events, prolonged periods of precipitation and even snowmelt. This elevated flow may exceed the capacity of the combined sewer.
As our climate changes and we see more frequent storms and longer and more intense periods of precipitation, these kinds of pressures on our combined sewers will only increase.
Blockages and impediments
Impediments and blockages within the pipe network can cause flow to back up, increasing pressure on upstream sections of the network that can result in an overflow event.
These blockages and impediments may be caused by buildup of trash and debris carried in stormwater, or by accumulations of fats, oils and grease (FOG) and other inappropriate materials flushed into the sewer system.
The big problem with blockages and impediments is that, without regular inspections, they remain undetected until they cause flow to back up.
Failures
Failures comprise any damage to assets within the system that cause flow to exceed capacity within a particular section of the network.
For example, breakages to sewer pipes may allow groundwater or other sources of additional water into the network, or they might provide entry points for tree roots that can cause debris entanglements that give rise to blockages or impediments.
These are similarly difficult to detect until they cause flow to become acute.
CSO prevention and mitigation
CSOs are subject to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program, and through this program the EPA established a national CSO Control Policy. Communities that have CSOs are required to comply with the CSO Control Policy and obtain a permit to discharge.
In summary, the policy requires communities to implement a range of measures to reduce the risk and mitigate the severity of overflow events, and to conduct regular monitoring in order to ensure compliance with both the policy and the water quality standards set out by the Clean Water Act.
Broadly speaking, there are three ways to address CSO events: prevent flow from exceeding capacity, reduce flow if it approaches capacity, and treat overflows if capacity is exceeded. Fortunately, new and proven technological solutions exist to improve the way we approach all three of these techniques.
Preventing combined sewer flow
One way to reduce overall flow is to think of the drainage network holistically, as a complex but interconnected system with an overall total capacity that can be used to manage the volume of stormwater within the drainage network as a whole.
Passive flow control systems, such as Hydro-Brake® valves, use hydrodynamic vortex technology to slow down the flow of water through a system, holding it back in a designated storage area and releasing it at a controlled rate to ease downstream pressure on the network. A series of these systems, placed at strategic points in the network, can be used to manage predicted flows based on expected precipitation levels.
While passive flow control, detention and retention are not new concepts in stormwater management, what is new is the idea of connecting areas of stormwater storage and using automated valves to adaptively manage the total storage within the system as though it were a single entity. This approach switches from passive to active flow control, and has the advantage of reacting in real time to manage peak flow events.
The StormCapture® CMAC module is one such example of this active flow control philosophy. The CMAC (continuous monitoring and adaptive control) module uses sensors to monitor water levels within the StormCapture® system, and it automatically opens and closes an actuated valve in response to real-world conditions. In this way it can either hold water back to allow downstream sections of the network to drain out, or it can allow stormwater to pass through the system to prevent buildups upstream.
A connected network of automated systems like this, reacting in concert to real-world conditions, enables asset managers and utility owners to proactively make use of the total storage available throughout the system, thereby preventing the localized build-ups of pressure that can result in CSO events.
Reducing combined sewer flow
As has been discussed, some CSO events are the result of blockages, or inflow and infiltration resulting from damage to the network.
In cases such as these where there is a failure in the network, managing the storage of the system will likely not prevent an overflow. Instead, operations teams need to be able to detect, locate and address the issue at hand—quickly and efficiently.
New technologies are enabling this kind of proactive response. Smart sewer monitoring technologies provide one such example of how utilities are able to make the invisible visible and take action quickly to clear blockages, identify and address sources of inflow and infiltration and carry out emergency repairs.
Using acoustic sensors, smart sewer monitors monitor water levels in real time, providing emergency alerts when levels in the sewer reach a certain point—indicating a blockage or impediment downstream or a source of increased flow upstream.
By alerting teams early to the presence of these issues and directing them toward their locations, these smart systems enable operations teams to clear blockages and reduce pressure in the system, or prioritize emergency repair work to remediate the failure in the network—reducing both the immediate and longer-term risks of a CSO event.
Treating CSOs
Due to the unpredictable nature of weather events and damaging environmental factors on the system it is almost impossible to eliminate the risk of CSOs completely, so it is advisable to implement a point treatment system at the outfall to provide one last line of defense against a CSO.
The Storm King® is one such defense. Situated just upstream of the outfall, it uses hydrodynamic separation to capture trash and sediment during CSO events, preventing pollutants from making their way into the environment. By incorporating chemical dosing for disinfection, it can also drastically reduce the harmful microbial load that is carried in many CSO events.
As we are unable to reduce the risk of CSO events to zero, it is imperative that we take appropriate steps to mitigate the impact of that risk when it does occur.
The CSO solution: a holistic approach, empowered by technology
A CSO event is a single point of failure within a wider system, and when tackling CSOs we cannot restrict our thinking to that single point: the whole system contributes to the problem, so the solution should incorporate the whole system.
Fortunately, new technologies are opening up new methods of prevention, response and mitigation, and while they have value in isolation their effectiveness multiplies when they are used holistically across an entire system.
Communities with CSOs face ongoing environmental and health hazards as a result of these points of failure. They deserve more ambitious, more modern and more effective solutions to address both the risk and the impact of these events.
Learn more
Discover: StormCapture® with CMAC
Discover: Storm King®
Discover: Hydro-Brake® Optimum
Using AI for water infrastructure can help utilities evolve and adapt as an aging workforce approaches retirement
With one third of water sector employees eligible to retire within the next decade, new AI solutions provide efficiencies that can help municipalities to address the potential for knowledge gaps and loss of expertise associated with an aging water infrastructure workforce.
Our water infrastructure workforce is aging
Municipalities across the country are confronting a pivotal challenge: an aging water infrastructure workforce.
With the EPA estimating that around one third of water sector employees will be eligible for retirement within the next ten years, utilities and their communities risk losing decades of institutional knowledge and operational expertise, putting essential water infrastructure at greater risk and widening the skills gap.
The requirement is clear: municipalities must find effective ways to maintain high standards of service while managing assets with fewer, and often less experienced, people.
Artificial intelligence tools can bridge the looming knowledge and skills gap
AI-powered tools offer a practical and long-term response to this urgent shift, and solutions like CivilSense™ are redefining what’s possible for utilities that face critical resourcing shortages.
CivilSense™ harnesses artificial intelligence and applies it to a unique combination of predictive water network risk analysis and real-time leak detection, using a curated library of more than 2.3 million acoustic signal data points to deliver a market-leading 93% detection accuracy.
This evolutionary new technology provides water asset owners and maintenance teams with data-driven insight into infrastructure health, enabling proactive maintenance and rapid response from any location—and by any authorized team member, regardless of their tenure.
This transformation is significant: AI takes over the time-intensive process of data analysis, highlighting potential issues before they become costly failures, and ensuring vulnerabilities are caught and prioritized efficiently.
Even teams with limited direct experience can act confidently, as AI condenses years of operational expertise into targeted, actionable guidance, reducing the dependency on limited resources and legacy, hard-to-replace knowledge.
Another advantage is that the technology doesn’t need to be integrated into existing systems, allowing for immediate benefit while minimizing disruption. This flexibility is backed by a dedicated, experienced support team, ensuring that municipalities are never alone in adopting or scaling AI innovations.
New tools enhance expertise and accelerate staff development
By bridging the knowledge gap left by retiring staff, AI tools help municipalities accelerate onboarding, strengthen resilience, and effectively manage maintenance and other asset management budgets.
Advanced analytics enable planners to prioritize repairs, optimize resource allocation and help ensure consistent service quality.
Strategic use of AI doesn’t eliminate the value of human expertise; rather it enhances it, freeing up skilled staff to focus on critical tasks while automated tools manage routine monitoring, data gathering and analysis.
Additionally, adopting and promoting advanced digital solutions helps municipalities attract new talent, positioning the water sector as both innovative and forward-thinking.
The road ahead for water asset management calls for an approach rooted in both technology and workforce development.
By pairing AI-driven systems with ongoing training, mentoring, and recruitment initiatives, communities can build a strong, adaptable, and resilient water infrastructure future that delivers long-lasting benefits to the people they serve, regardless of changes in the workforce.
Learn more
In this guest article, Jim Fitchett compares five risk prediction methods widely used by water utilities, highlighting their advantages, drawbacks, and best uses. Jim is an adjunct instructor at Harvard University and co-founder of VODA.ai.
For decades, the single most pressing issue for water utilities has been the health of buried water pipes. Water loss from pipe failure is a significant challenge for all utilities. Every year, utilities lose between 20% to 60%, and that loss occurs after the expense of sourcing, treating, and distributing the water. The cost doesn’t stop at the water itself. Burst pipes damage property and roads, disrupt neighborhoods, contribute to unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions, and tarnish public trust.
With limited budgets and failing infrastructure, utility leaders must make difficult choices about where to act first. That’s where risk prediction comes in. Utilities employ a variety of approaches to prioritize asset management based on predicted risk. These approaches are outlined below with their respective strengths and weaknesses.
1. Asset condition assessment combined with failure likelihood scoring
Method:
- Combine field inspections, condition ratings, and engineering judgment to assign each asset (pipes, pumps, valves) a “likelihood of failure” (LoF) score.
- Often paired with “consequence of failure” (CoF) to produce a risk score = LoF × CoF.
Strengths:
- Simple, well-understood, and fits regulatory asset management frameworks.
- Works with limited historical data.
Weaknesses:
- Subjective if based heavily on staff opinion.
- Misses subtle risk patterns without deep data analysis.
Best for: Smaller to mid-size utilities or as a first step toward predictive modeling.
2.Statistical analysis
Method:
- Use statistical failure models (e.g., Weibull distribution, exponential decay, remaining useful life) to estimate the probability of failure based on asset age, material, environment, and historical break rates.
Strengths:
- Quantitative, data-driven, and adaptable to different asset classes.
- Good balance between rigor and feasibility.
Weaknesses:
- Requires several years of good-quality failure records.
- May oversimplify complex, multi-factor failures.
Best for: Utilities with a decade+ of work orders and failure history.
3. Predictive modeling using AI/machine learning
Method:
- Train machine learning model algorithms (e.g., random forest, gradient boosting, neural networks) on asset, operational, and environmental data sets to predict pipe failures.
- Can integrate SCADA data, soil corrosivity maps, weather patterns, and pipe-level attributes.
Strengths:
- Can uncover hidden patterns and non-linear relationships.
- Often more accurate than traditional models once tuned.
- Can predict failures in pipes with no previous breaks.
Weaknesses:
- Needs consistent logging of pipe failures for model training.
- This approach requires specialized skills and ongoing model maintenance.
Best for: Utilities with technology-forward leadership.
4. Hydraulic and water quality simulation risk modeling
Method:
- Use hydraulic network models (e.g., EPANET, InfoWater) to simulate how failures would impact service levels, pressure, and water quality.
- Risk is assessed by combining failure probability with modeled service and quality impacts.
Strengths:
- Directly connects asset condition to customer service impact.
- This is useful for scenario planning and emergency response planning.
Weaknesses:
- Requires a calibrated network model.
- Focused on impact modeling rather than failure prediction itself.
Best for: Utilities wanting to prioritize based on service-criticality rather than just likelihood of failure.
5. GIS-based multi-criteria risk mapping
Method:
- Overlay spatial datasets (pipe age, soil corrosivity, leak history, proximity to critical facilities) in GIS to create risk “heat maps.”
Strengths:
- Visually intuitive for decision-makers and field crews.
- Can integrate with work order systems and capital planning.
Weaknesses:
- Often more descriptive than predictive.
- Weighting of criteria can be subjective.
Best for: Communicating risk to stakeholders and identifying priority areas.
How the Five Risk Prediction Methods Stack Up
| Method |
Data Requirements |
Accuracy |
Cost |
Practicality |
Typical Utility Size |
| Asset Condition + LoF/CoF |
Low |
Low–Medium |
Low |
High |
Small–Medium |
| Statistical Analysis |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium–High |
Medium–Large |
| AI /Machine Learning |
Medium–High |
High |
Medium–High |
Medium |
All sizes |
| Hydraulic Impact Modeling |
Medium–High |
Medium |
Medium–High |
Medium |
Medium–Large |
| GIS Risk Mapping |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
All sizes |
In conclusion
Every utility operates with limited resources, and every utility deals with infrastructure failures. But not every utility predicts it well. The better you can predict risk to prioritize resources, the better you can prevent damage, reduce cost, and preserve trust.
Among all five risk prediction methods, machine learning provides the highest accuracy for predicting failures. It works by applying multiple algorithms to lots of data.
If you are ready to get more out of your data, start the process by improving its quality and quantity. Then, partner with experts – and leverage new tools such as CivilSense™ – to unlock the best insights that help you stay ahead of failure.
This article was originally published by VODA.ai, and is reproduced here with permission.
Learn more
Aging water infrastructure is costing the US gallons and money. New technologies are enabling a smart infrastructure philosophy that can improve water asset management.
The core of any country’s drinking water system is the network of pipes connecting local processing plants with millions of homes and businesses. In the US, that network is 2 million miles long. It’s vital, but it’s also vulnerable because much of it is antiquated. Some sections are more than 100 years old.
And it fails…repeatedly. On a typical day, more than 700 pipes break somewhere in the US. As a result, municipalities lose about 6 billion gallons of abstracted, treated and distributed water daily to leakage from the system.
This is waste we can no longer afford. But fixing it won’t be cheap: the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that repairs and replacement over the next 20 years are likely to require an investment of about $625 billion.
Many factors contribute to the complexity of the problem. Engineers working on asset management have to factor in the size of the pipes, the chemical composition of the materials used, and the characteristics of the geology surrounding the network.
For example, a 2023 study conducted by Utah State University, Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada, discovered a loose correlation between soil corrosion index and the number of breaks for cast iron pipe, and a tight correlation for ductile (flexible) iron pipe. Those represent significant factors when managing pipe networks in certain parts of the country.
Although the analysis from the USU study is invaluable in terms of understanding the scale and complexity of the situation, it is an aggregate view that cannot provide local direction to planners and maintenance teams on the ground. And with limited resources, approaches that have been adequate historically are no longer sufficient.
The old techniques of finding an underground leak by hit-or-miss digging through water flowing to the surface are inefficient and expensive, and while teams are searching for the source of the leak the disruption goes on in the form of water shortages and shutoffs. If the flooding knocks out utilities or essential services, the inconvenience and damage get worse.
Pioneering approaches such as CivilSense™ provide a better way. After using VODA.ai’s daVinci AI to analyze network data and identify areas of the network that are at high risk of leaks, our field teams deploy acoustic sensors to gather real-time data. When a leak is detected the AI tells the engineers the size and exact location of the leak, thus facilitating the repairs—accurately and efficiently.
In short, new technologies are enabling smart infrastructure, and water asset management has an opportunity to evolve from inefficient, reactive response to leaks of unknown origin to proactive prevention, using real-world data to direct activity and drive better decision making.
Even better, the new technologies will move water asset management toward the day when we can replace pipes before leaks actually happen.
Learn more
As digital technology becomes increasingly essential to daily life, the demand for high-speed broadband in residential neighborhoods is skyrocketing. From telecommuting and online learning to smart homes and streaming, reliable internet access is the backbone of modern living. To meet these growing demands, efficient fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments are more critical than ever.
But broadband infrastructure is more than just connectivity—it’s a foundation for thriving, connected communities. The challenge lies in creating scalable, sustainable networks that can evolve with emerging technologies and user needs.
At the heart of this effort is the need to streamline the installation process to ensure reliability, reduce costs, and accelerate deployment. Our comprehensive suite of products and industry expertise empowers professionals to build FTTH networks that are not only faster to install but also built to last.
Essential Tools for High-Quality Broadband Installation
Successful broadband deployments require more than just cables—they demand precision, efficiency, and the right tools. Here’s what professionals need to ensure clean, reliable installations:
- Structured Wiring Systems: Media panels and network modules/switches serve as central hubs, organizing complex smart home networks and simplifying ongoing maintenance.
- Tool-less Components: Distribution modules and jacks designed for quick, tool-free connections save valuable time during installation without sacrificing quality.
- Distribution Modules: Voice and data modules with front punch-down access expand functionality in single-family units (SFUs) and multi-dwelling units (MDUs), all within compact media enclosures.
- Crimping & Cutting Tools: Keystone jack crimping tools ensure accurate terminations for Cat5e and Cat6 cables. RJ crimping tools are essential for Cat6 and Cat6a snap plug projects. Flush cutters provide precise trimming in tight spaces, keeping installations clean and efficient.
Support from the Ground Up
Oldcastle Infrastructure offers proven solutions to support broadband expansion—from fiber routing components and media panels to weather-resistant enclosures. Whether you’re rolling out FTTH to a single home or scaling across entire communities, we help you build faster, smarter, and with greater confidence.
Explore our full line of communications solutions and see how we can help you meet today’s broadband challenges head-on.
