How did it all Get Started?

 

Take a look around your neighbourhood.  You will see roadways, hydro lines, street and traffic lights, fire hydrants, and buildings of all shapes and sizes.  Have you ever thought about what makes all of these things work? The answer, friends, is right below your feet.

The beginnings of buried infrastructure occurred in the mid-19th century when, following an outbreak of typhus, Edwin Chadwick began to study the outbreak and concluded that it was due to open sewers and contaminated drinking water.  With his newfound conclusion, Chadwick began to lobby the British government to create sanitation standards for communities.  As a result, standards were adopted and communities began to build water and sanitation networks, first in London, then across the U.K. 

Around this same time, lawmakers and governments also adopted using oil-fueled lamps to increase nighttime safety in their communities. Soon, gas lamps took the place of oil, and local gas services were developed. As the popularity of gas increased, now also used for heat and residential lighting, larger pipes were installed and transmission pipelines were born, even across the Atlantic. Canada’s first gas transmission pipeline, a 25-km-long cast iron pipe, was built in 1853.

Time marched on, local economies grew, trade areas expanded, and the Portland Montreal Pipeline, connecting Portland, Maine and Montreal, Quebec, was completed in 1941. A decade later, Canada’s first liquids transmission pipelines (Interprovincial Pipe Line and Trans Mountain Pipe Line) were built and business was booming. There was a need for a single body to facilitate and regulate the energy industry and in November of 1959, the National Energy Board (NEB) was born.

As Canada’s post-war baby boom and growing economy led to demands for modern conveniences, new neighbourhoods were increasingly serviced via buried infrastructure. Communities grew quickly, agricultural land became suburban then urban developments, further fueling demand. Employment opportunities were abundant, families relocated to larger centres, and the standard of living was increasing — life was good!  However, there was a downside. As populations grew, so did the number of incidents involving buried utilities. People were hurt, the environment was dirtied, structures were damaged, critical services were interrupted and servicing costs were going up — something needed to be done! 

Luckily, organizations began to form with the goal of preventing such events: damage prevention groups were formed, standards were created, and regulators began to formalize laws. As a result, Canadians have seen the emergence of provincial One Call systems, technical guidance via organizations such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), education and legislation initiatives via the Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA), and support from regulators such as the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER).  Through much effort, collaboration, and dedication, we have all benefitted from this evolution — data has shown a steady decline in ground disturbance-related incidents over many years.

So, the next time you are out, look at your neighbourhood through a fresh lens and give some consideration to the hidden workings of our great communities. After all, much goes into ensuring that it all operates as it was intended to — safely, reliably and quietly.

 

Author – Mark Bradley

Mark Bradley is a seasoned leader in stakeholder and regulatory settings with a passion for damage prevention.