As construction season nears, the familiar sound of heavy machinery will signal the beginning of projects. Amidst the excitement of groundbreaking activities, there lies a hidden danger beneath your feet: buried utilities. While utilizing the 811 “Call Before You Dig” service before digging is a required step, there’s more due diligence that should be done to prevent costly change orders and safety hazards.

Subsurface Utility Exploration (SUE) goes beyond the minimum requirement of 811. It is essential when digging on private properties where 811 does not cover.  “Call before you dig” services are limited to utilities in the public right-of-way, depending on the locale.  In NYC, water markout is not included with an 811 ticket.   

Private SUE reveals so much more. Using our tools and experience, GdB field crews can detect active and abandoned water, gas service lines, and privately owned electric lines. We can also indicate abandoned underground tanks, communication lines, irrigation, and drainage structures.

Understanding what lies beneath is essential to mitigate risks and reduce costs. The Common Ground Alliance’s Damage Incident Reporting Tool (DIRT) report paints a concerning picture. They report over 385,000 utility line strikes and damages in 2020 alone. Excavators bore the brunt of responsibility with telecommunications and natural gas infrastructure being the most commonly damaged. The financial toll of these incidents is staggering, with an estimated $30 billion in societal losses annually. With investments in infrastructure and energy ramping up, this figure will only rise. Investing in SUE is not just prudent; it’s an important part of the success of your project.

At GdB we recognize the importance of SUE in reducing risks, enhancing safety, and instilling confidence in construction projects. Leveraging tools like Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), radio-detection, and Electromagnetic Induction, our experienced crews diligently trace out underground utilities, marking them for clarity and safety. Additionally, we employ survey–grade instruments to precisely locate these utilities for accurate mapping and reporting.

This dig season, don’t gamble with the risks beneath your feet! Invest in Subsurface Utility Exploration with GdB to safeguard your project, your team, and your bottom line.

About GdB Geospatial

GdB is a premier provider of geospatial solutions. The company specializes in delivering boundary surveys, topographic surveys, utility surveys, hydrographic surveys, construction layout, and aerial mapping on projects from small to grand. Serving the energy, utility, infrastructure, real estate, and institutional sectors, GdB operates in Rochester, Western New York, New York City, the New York City metro area, Hackensack, New Jersey, Long Island, and throughout the Northeast Corridor from Boston to DC. GdB’s service lines are remote sensing, photogrammetry, machine control, slipform modeling, subsurface utility exploration (SUE), utility locating, corridor mapping with article VII permits and anything that has a ”where” component.