Potholing refers to the method you might use to find underground utilities. Although utility owners know where these pipes and lines are supposed to be, it is possible for any ground movement to result in some shifting. Therefore, potholing allows for the accurate pinpointing of the utilities.
Hand Digging Takes Too Long
Even if you are certain where the lines are running, excavating a site by hand is labor-intensive and simply takes too long. Hand digging is also not suitable for larger operations where you might attempt to account for a variety of soil shifts when locating utilities through potholing.
Mechanical Excavation Easily Leads to Damage
Even though you know – in theory – where the utility lines are running, you are unsure about the exact location. When employing a backhoe for potholing, you run the risk of inadvertently damaging the very lines you are looking for. Even if you manage to avoid them, you may break the lines of other utility owners.
Hydro Excavating Allows for Potholing with Surgical Precision
In this process, experts use water and a vacuum to loosen and remove soil. Because you can pinpoint the likely area of the lines, the damage to the surrounding site is minimal. Moreover, the process is safe, environmentally friendly, and suitable when you anticipate that there are other underground structures you do not want to disturb.
Never Sever Another Sewer Line!
Hydro excavation processes for potholing let you verify the depth of the underground utility lines. Moreover, you get a good understanding of other lines that may be running parallel to the ones you are planning to work on. Therefore, you greatly reduce the chance of puncturing another water line or severing a sewer pipe.
Your team can use the potholing data you collect to confirm underground structures and map their coordinates. Similarly, you can determine whether above-ground structures require special treatment when working on the lines. Contact 4 Warriors Hydro Excavating today to learn more about the potholing process!