Many people walk over them everyday without noticing. But the colorful paint marking buried utilities underneath sidewalks and roads is essential to public safety, real estate development and infrastructure management.

The ways we gain new insight in the wastewater industry, keep up with the latest trends, and interact with others are changing as a result of current events. While this shift towards a more remote model changes how we learn and communicate, it doesn’t change the abundance of information available. Countless digital resources have cropped up from professional associations and wastewater media outlets and can be accessed regardless of your location.

Municipal wastewater contractors rely on their ability to complete jobs in an efficient and timely manner to make money—paid by the project and not by the hour. But striking a balance between increasing productivity and keeping within a budget can be difficult. While searching for ways to take on bigger projects and work more productively, contractors are often forced to get creative with their financial decisions.

Finding outside funding to support improvements and maintenance for wastewater systems can be a daunting task. But the first step in applying for a grant is identifying your needs and assets. Smart communities don’t apply for funding simply because it exists; they apply because they need it.

Artificial intelligence is spreading across every area of our lives, from ride-sharing apps to spam filters to smart personal assistants. In the last few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has also seeped into the wastewater industry in the form of automated defect coding. AI promises major benefits over traditional operator inspection, mostly in the form of lower error rates and faster inspection times.

A crisis is something wastewater operators may not be able to control or even predict, but they can plan for. A strategic Emergency Response Plan (ERP) provides standardized protocols and actions for preventing, minimizing and mitigating injury and damage during a wastewater crisis. The key areas of focus are

Many municipalities say they want a sewer crawler to last 10 years, but few put in the work to make that happen. Modern sewer inspection systems are highly-engineered equipment that require specialized care. You don’t let just anyone work on your jetter truck, so why take a casual approach to operating and caring for your crawler?

Having enough time, money and resources to maintain deteriorating sewer systems is the leading challenge municipalities and wastewater professionals face. Under these circumstances, it is more important than ever to work smarter—not harder—and to direct resources where they are needed most. Doing this takes strategy and planning. That includes gaining a system-wide understanding of infrastructure condition and prioritizing resource allocation for the best return.

Sanitary sewer systems are critical to the U.S. economy and to protecting public health and the environment. But because they're hidden from sight, few outside the water and wastewater industry understand their operation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates more than 151,000 public water systems in the United States that serve 90% of Americans—that’s more than 290 million people who rely on sanitary sewers!

We've rounded up the best sewer industry resources to help you start the new year off on the right foot. Share your favorites with coworkers and tag us on social media.