Industry News: June 2026 — NASSCO Annual Conference Dates, New OSHA Guidance, and More

Manhole Recovery monitors the water/wastewater industry for developments that affect manhole rehabilitation professionals. Here’s what’s new in June 2026.

NASSCO Announces 2026 Annual Conference

The National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) has announced that its 2026 annual conference will be held September 22–25 in Orlando, Florida. The conference is the premier gathering for pipeline and manhole rehabilitation professionals and includes the annual MACP and PACP certification update courses. Registration opens July 1.

New OSHA Guidance on Atmospheric Testing Frequency

OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs issued updated compliance guidance in May 2026 clarifying expectations for continuous atmospheric monitoring versus periodic testing during confined space entry for wastewater operations. The guidance makes clear that H2S-producing environments require continuous monitoring throughout the entry period, not just pre-entry testing. Review the guidance and our confined space safety guide to ensure your program is current.

EPA Infrastructure Funding Update

The EPA has released FY2026 CWSRF capitalization grant allocations to states. Overall funding is up 8% from FY2025, with increased set-asides for additional subsidy in disadvantaged communities. States must have their priority lists and applications submitted by October 31, 2026 for FY2026 funds. See our federal funding guide for the full state-by-state breakdown.

ASTM Update: New Test Method for Polyurea Adhesion in Humid Conditions

ASTM Committee D14 has approved a new standard test method (ASTM D8467) for measuring polyurea adhesion to cementitious substrates under humid conditions — addressing a long-standing gap in the specification toolbox for underground infrastructure coatings. The standard is expected to be formally published Q3 2026. This will be important for specifiers writing performance-based polyurea specifications for manhole rehabilitation.

Water Environment Federation Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference

WEFTEC 2026 will be held October 5–9 in New Orleans. The event draws 20,000+ water and wastewater professionals and features a dedicated collection systems technical track that includes manhole rehabilitation presentations. The Manhole Recovery team will be attending — connect with us in the community forum if you’d like to meet up.

Community Forum Highlights This Month

• Most active thread: “Anyone using drone inspection for manhole assessment?” — 67 replies, 312 views
• Technical question of the month: “Acceptable moisture content for polyurea application — field testing methods” — 34 replies from certified applicators and material suppliers
• Resource shared: A member from the Ohio EPA shared their standardized manhole inspection reporting template — available in the community resource library

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