Since 1954, UCANE has been the leading advocate for water and sewer contractors and the underground utility industry. Over the years:

• UCANE fought and obtained $500 million in MA state bonds to fund state and local underground utility construction projects.
  
  
• UCANE provided extensive Congressional support for passage of the Federal CleanWater Act of 1974 which funded the EPA Grants Program and provided over $50 Billion to states over 20 years for wastewater pollution control projects.
  
  
• UCANE supported the creation of the MWRA in 1984 with responsibility for supplying clean drinking water and eliminating wastewater pollution throughout 60 Metro Boston communities.
  
  
• UCANE lobbied Congress to pass the State Revolving Loan Fund Program (SRF), which combines state and federal monies into low interest loans for CDW and WWPC projects.
  
  
• UCANE successfully lobbied for 3 to 1 leveraging of SRF loans to significantly increase the number of water and sewer projects funded each year in Massachusetts. UCANE supported efforts to stop wastewater pollution of local waterways, including the 11 year, $3.8 Billion federally mandated Boston Harbor Clean-Up project; the Charles and Mystic rivers; and prevention of chemical pollution of Cape Cod estuaries, bays and beaches.
  
  
• UCANE served as a member of the Commonwealth’s legislatively mandated Water Infrastructure Commission, which issued a report in 2012 identifying a $21 billion dollar funding gap in water infrastructure in Massachusetts and recommendations on mechanism to close the funding gap.
  
  
• In 2014, UCANE was instrumental in the passage of landmark legislation, Chapter 259 of the Acts of 2014, An Act Improving Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure.
  
  
• UCANE established legal precedence so that all contractors compete on a “level playing field” by successfully overturning (in state court) Residency Requirements on public works projects in Lowell and Worcester, MA; and successfully overturned (in federal court) the inclusion of unlawful Responsible Employer Ordinances (REO) in Fall River, MA public works  projects . This decision now applies to all public works projects funded in part with state/federal funds.
  
  
• UCANE established a cooperative agreement between OSHA and UCANE promoting workplace safety. We conduct Competent Person and Confined Space Entry safety seminars as well as Asbestos Pipe Removal seminars throughout the year for our members and their employees.