Underground Utility

Underground utilities form the backbone of modern civilization, delivering essential services to homes, businesses, and institutions. The major categories of underground utilities include water distribution mains and service lines, sanitary sewer collection systems, storm drainage systems, natural gas distribution and transmission pipelines, electric power cables, telecommunications cables, fiber optic networks, and steam or chilled water systems in some urban areas.

The total length of underground utility infrastructure in the United States is measured in millions of miles. Much of this infrastructure was installed decades ago, and records of its exact location and depth are often incomplete, inaccurate, or lost entirely. This uncertainty is the fundamental reason that utility locating and non-destructive excavation methods like hydrovac are essential before any ground-disturbing activity.

Underground utilities are installed at varying depths depending on the utility type, local codes, and installation era. Water mains are typically buried 4 to 6 feet deep to prevent freezing, while gas lines may be as shallow as 18 inches. Electric and telecommunications cables can be found at virtually any depth. This variability makes it impossible to assume a safe digging depth, reinforcing the need for potholing to verify actual utility positions before excavation.