The Imperative Of Accurate Underground Utility Mapping

As busy as cities appear to be on the surface with streets

, buildings, and homes, what is going on under the surface can be even more complex. There is another whole world of activity there under our feet with underground utilities keeping the above-ground society humming. Sewer drains and pipes, telephone and fiber optic cables, gas mains, and more, are continuously being installed, with existing utilities being relocated and upgraded. Old, unused utility pipes and lines, dating back for many decades, are layered in with new, state-of-the-art systems.

Excavating in areas where underground utilities exist can be a costly and dangerous business. Severing power or gas lines can result in injury or death to workers. Damaging telecommunications lines or sewer drains can result in a costly interruption of services. The construction delays that result cost contractors time and money, often resulting in late-completion penalties. To avoid such problems, it is imperative that excavation contractors know exactly what underground utilities are present and where they are located.

Contacting local utility companies for this information is a first step, but does not always offer complete information. Utility company maps may be inaccurate or incomplete with utilities added or relocated without recorded updates, especially when companies change ownership several times over the course of many years. It is most common now for contractors to employ underground utility mapping technologies to ensure that information is complete before any excavation is begun.

There are several methods used along with modern technology used to accurately locate a range of underground utilities and structures, both metallic and non-metallic, including ground penetrating radar systems (GPRS), and electromagnetic detectors. With these non-destructive location tools, buried utilities can be mapped accurately with a combination of GPS and traditional survey methods.

Ground penetrating radar surveys are typically conducted to locate concrete and utility pipes, including metal, PVC, or fiberglass. Electromagnetic conductivity surveys are used to locate electrical and metal underground utilities. The information is usually plotted on the ground with industry standard color-coding to provide the contractor with specific information on where it is safe to dig or drill and to alert for areas where caution is needed.

The cost of accurately mapping buried utilities is small in comparison to the cost of potential construction delays, worker injuries, structural damage, and utility service interruptions. A quality, reputable construction company will always have a complete underground utility mapping service performed before putting shovel to ground to enure the safety of the job site.

by: Art Gib

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