Underground Utility Locators
Locating and surveying for Sydney and surrounding areas
OzDetect provides exceptional Utility Locating services throughout NSW and the ACT.
Whether you’re planning your next large construction project or small residential works, our experienced professionals have the skills and knowledge to identify underground utilities accurately.
Certified Locators
OzDetect is proudly certified by Dial Before You Dig as utility locators.
24Hr Service
OzDetect specialise in 24hr underground utility locating services 7 days a week.
Professional Reports
We strive to deliver professional and punctual reports to all our clients.
Cost Effective
OzDetect aims to provide Sydney and its surroundings with cost-effective options.
10+ Years of Experience Locating Utilities in Sydney
Whether you’re planning your next large construction project or small residential works, our experienced professionals have the skills and knowledge to identify underground utilities accurately.
At OzDetect we deliver a wide range of sought after services across Sydney and surrounding areas for various reasons. Our job is to make the process as easy as possible for our clients while still performing to the highest standards possible. This is 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We take great pride in delivering exceptional specialised utility services to all Sydney residents and businesses.
Your satisfaction is always our priority.
All Facets of Construction & Design
We are recognised for delivering prompt and professional specialised utility services across many sectors including Civil, Design, Construction or Planning, Roads and Maritime, NSW Government, Endeavour Energy/Ausgrid, Hospitals, commercial businesses, and residential property owners.
Utility Locating & Mapping
Utility Mapping is a dynamic way to get utility locator findings onto a plan. It’s a basic plan with depths of services and a real-time aerial image for reference. Utility mapping refers to the process of creating detailed maps or plans that accurately depict underground utility infrastructure. This includes water, gas, electrical, and communication lines. Utility mapping is crucial for preventing damage to utility infrastructure during construction or excavation projects. It also improves public safety and ensures efficient utility system management.
Surveying
Founded with a mission to provide precise and efficient land and property surveying services, OzDetect uses state-of-the-art technology and methodologies to ensure the highest levels of accuracy. Cadastral, contour, topographic, aerial surveys, and construction layouts are just a few of the surveying services offered. These services serve both the public and private sectors.
Client Testimonials
Discover the stories, insights, and accolades that showcase the undeniable excellence of OzDetect in the world of utility location. Your quest for reliable feedback starts right here.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions about utility locating and surveying services. Learn more by reading the FAQs below or contact us today.
Reasons to get a utility locator
Utility locators in Sydney offer several benefits that positively impact construction and excavation projects. Here are some reasons to hire a utility locator:
Enhance Safety: A utility locator can locate underground utilities, reducing the risk of accidental damage or injury during the project.
Ensure Compliance: Complying with legal requirements to locate and mark underground utilities before excavation work is critical. Utility locators can help ensure you meet these regulations.
Save Costs: Accidentally damaged underground utilities can be costly in terms of repairs and project delays. By accurately locating utilities, a utility locator can help you avoid these costs and complete the project on time and within budget.
Improve Efficiency: Utility locators can quickly and accurately locate utilities, reducing manual excavation and exploration.
Boost Professionalism: Hiring a utility locator demonstrates a commitment to safety, compliance, and efficient project management. This can enhance your reputation and credibility in the industry.
Reasons to get a surveyor
If you’re in Sydney, you may need a surveyor for various reasons, including:
Property Boundary Identification: Surveyors can accurately determine your property boundaries, helping you avoid disputes with neighbours over property lines.
Property Development: Detailed surveys can identify potential obstacles and issues during construction processes, making property development more efficient.
Property Valuation: Accurate land surveys are often needed by lenders, appraisers, and buyers to determine a property’s value.
Legal Disputes: Surveyors can provide expert testimony and evidence in cases of legal disputes, such as land ownership.
Planning Permissions: Local councils may require land surveys for property development plans to meet local regulations and requirements.
Engineering Projects: Surveyors provide accurate measurements and data for infrastructure planning and design in engineering projects.
Hiring a surveyor can ensure that your property development projects meet legal compliance, are efficient, and completed to high standards.
Reasons you shouldn't do your own utility locating
The purpose of utility locating in Sydney is to identify and mark underground utility lines to prevent accidents during construction or excavation. However, you should not attempt utility locating yourself due to the following reasons:
In the first place, safety is of paramount importance. Gas lines and electrical cables can cause serious injuries and deaths without proper training and expertise.
Additionally, there are financial and legal consequences. In many jurisdictions, utility locating services are required before excavations begin. Those who fail to comply may be penalised and financially liable if utilities are damaged.
Professionals use specialised equipment and techniques to locate utilities accurately, ensuring precise marking. Utility locating without the right tools and knowledge can result in inaccurate marks, increasing the risk of injury.
A professional can identify and mark utilities quickly and efficiently, minimising project delays. Doing it yourself can lead to inefficiencies and negatively impact your project schedule.
Utility locating requires a deep understanding of the local infrastructure. Professionals know the specific layout, depth, and type of utilities in different areas of Sydney. Without this understanding, it can be difficult to locate and interpret the underground infrastructure.
Lastly, professional utility locating services have access to databases and maps that provide comprehensive information about underground utilities. Individuals trying to locate their own utilities may not have access to these resources, making it difficult to find accurate information.
Professional utility locating services in Sydney are strongly recommended due to safety risks, legal obligations, and the complexity of the process.
Importance of underground service locating
Locating underground services is imperative for a variety of reasons, mostly related to safety, economics, and law. Here are some key reasons:
- Safety: Striking an underground utility line while digging can lead to serious injuries or even fatalities. For example, hitting a gas pipe can result in an explosion, while digging into a power line can cause electrocution.
- Service Continuity: Hitting a utility line can cause service outages, impacting not only the construction site but also surrounding homes and businesses. This can result in significant inconvenience and financial losses.
- Costs: Damaging underground utilities can be expensive. It can lead to repair costs, fines, and potential lawsuits. In addition, there can be costs associated with project delays, such as equipment rentals and labor costs.
- Legal Requirements: In many jurisdictions, it’s a legal requirement to locate and mark underground utilities before any excavation work begins. Failure to do so can result in legal penalties.
- Environmental Protection: Some underground services, such as sewer pipes or fuel lines, contain hazardous materials. If these are inadvertently struck, they can lead to environmental contamination.
Planning and executing excavation work safely and efficiently requires underground service locating, which helps protect workers, the public, and the environment.
Benefits of electromagnetic locating
Electromagnetic locating is a technique that employs electromagnetic signals to pinpoint and identify underground utilities and conductive materials. In Sydney, electromagnetic locating offers several benefits:
- Precision: This method can accurately determine the location and depth of underground utilities, preventing damage during excavation and construction.
- Non-invasive: As a non-destructive method, electromagnetic locating doesn’t harm either the ground or the utilities being located.
- Time-efficiency: Compared to manual digging and exploration, electromagnetic locating is fast and efficient in identifying the position of underground utilities.
- Cost-saving: Electromagnetic locating can cut costs by reducing the risk of accidental damage to underground utilities and preventing project delays.
- Safety: This technique is a safe way to locate underground utilities, reducing the likelihood of accidents and injuries during excavation and construction.
- Flexibility: Electromagnetic locating is versatile and can locate various underground utilities and conductive materials, such as cables, pipes, and rebar.
Overall, electromagnetic locating is a practical and flexible technique for pinpointing and identifying underground utilities in Sydney. It helps save time and money, while promoting safety and precision in excavation and construction projects.
How to find what survey you need
The type of survey your property needs will depend on several factors, such as the size and shape of your property, its location, and the purpose of the survey. Here are some common surveys you may need:
Boundary Survey: This type of survey identifies the exact boundary lines of your property, including any encroachments, overlaps, or gaps.
Topographic Survey: A topographic survey provides a detailed map of your property’s surface features, including contours, elevations, and natural and man-made features.
Cadastral Survey: A cadastral survey is a type of land survey that determines and records the precise boundaries and dimensions of a piece of land or property. Surveys typically involve physical measurements, such as distances and angles. It also involves the location of existing improvements and natural features, such as buildings, fences, roads, and waterways. Cadastral surveys create an accurate map or plan of the property. This map or plan can be used for a variety of purposes, including property transactions, land registration, boundary disputes, and urban planning. Cadastral surveys are typically performed by licensed surveyors who are trained in the legal and technical aspects of property ownership and boundary determination.
Contour Survey: A contour survey is a type of land survey that determines and maps the contours, or the elevation and shape of the terrain, of a piece of land or property. This survey typically involves the use of specialised equipment to measure elevation at specific points on the land surface. It also involves creating a topographic map of the property. Contour surveys can provide valuable information for a range of purposes, including property development, site planning, drainage design, and environmental assessments. They are typically performed by licensed surveyors who are trained in the use of specialised surveying equipment and software.
Understanding Utility Locating
Utility locating in Sydney refers to the process of identifying and marking underground utility lines and infrastructure systems within a given area. These utilities can include water pipes, gas lines, electrical cables, telecommunications cables, sewer lines, and other critical infrastructure.
Utility locating is used to prevent accidental damage to underground utilities during construction, excavation, or any other activity that involves digging or ground disturbance. By accurately locating and marking utilities, construction crews, and contractors can avoid costly and potentially dangerous incidents such as hitting a gas line. In addition, they can disrupt the power supply.
In Sydney, utility locating is typically carried out by specialized companies or service providers that use advanced techniques and equipment. These techniques may involve using ground-penetrating radar, electromagnetic equipment, or other methods to detect and map underground utilities. Once the utilities are identified, the company will mark their locations on the ground with paint, flags, or other visible indicators. This is to alert workers and prevent accidental damage.
It is imperative to contact a professional utility locating service before undertaking construction or excavation work in Sydney. This is to ensure workers’ safety, prevent utility disruptions, and comply with local regulations and guidelines.
Underground locating timeframe
The duration to perform underground service locating can vary widely depending on a number of factors, such as:
- Size and Complexity of the Site: A small residential property may only require a few hours, while a large commercial property or a construction site with numerous utilities running through it could take several days or even longer.
- Number and Types of Utilities: The time needed will increase with the number of utilities to be located. Different types of utilities (e.g., electrical, gas, water, telecommunications) may also require different locating techniques and thus varying amounts of time.
- Quality and Availability of Records: If accurate and up-to-date maps of the utility networks are available, this can speed up the process. However, if records are poor or non-existent, more time will be required for a comprehensive search.
- Ground Conditions: Certain ground conditions, such as rocky soil or high water table, can make locating utilities more challenging and time-consuming.
In order to provide a specific timeframe, one must know the specifics of the project and the site. In general, however, it is advisable to contact a service provider well in advance of the planned start date of an excavation or construction project in order to ensure enough time to conduct a thorough and accurate search.
underground service locator
What types of utilities can be located?
Underground service locating can identify a wide range of utilities and services. Here are some of the most common types:
- Electrical Lines: These include primary (high voltage) and secondary (low voltage) electric lines that power homes, businesses, and street lights.
- Gas Lines: Natural gas lines provide fuel for heating systems, water heaters, stoves, and other appliances.
- Water Lines: These lines deliver potable water to homes and businesses.
- Sewer Lines: These carry wastewater away from homes and businesses to treatment facilities.
- Storm Drains: These lines direct rainwater away from urban areas to prevent flooding.
- Telecommunication Lines: This category includes lines for telephone, broadband, and cable television services.
- Fiber Optic Cables: These cables carry data for the internet and some telephone services.
- Irrigation Lines: These systems distribute water in landscapes, parks, and farmland.
- Oil or Fuel Lines: In some areas, pipelines deliver oil or other fuels.
- Steam and Hot Water Pipes: In some cities, steam or hot water is piped underground for heating purposes.
It’s critical to note that not all utilities can be located using the same techniques. Metallic pipes and cables can often be located using electromagnetic equipment. Non-metallic utilities, such as plastic water or gas pipes, may require other methods like ground penetration radar. Furthermore, some utilities may not be visible if they are too deep, in poor condition, or not continuous (i.e., they have breaks or gaps).
What training and certifications are needed to perform underground service locating in NSW?
Professionals who locate utilities generally possess the necessary knowledge and skills through training and certification.
Certificate III in Civil Construction (Pipeline Locating) is a nationally recognised qualification in Australia that includes training in using locating devices and interpreting location maps.
Another common credential in Australia is Dial Before You Dig (DBYD). To enhance knowledge about the Dial Before You Dig process and utility plan interpretation, the DBYD program is a comprehensive training and certification program.
The industry also offers training and certifications in the use of specific types of utility locating equipment, such as ground penetrating radar.
While specific training and certification may not be a legal requirement, it is always recommended to hire someone with demonstrated expertise in utility locating to ensure the job is done accurately and safely. It is always advisable to check the latest local regulations and requirements since they can change over time.
Is there any way to detect non-metallic utilities, such as plastic or terracotta pipes?
Yes, there are ways to detect non-metallic utilities, such as plastic or terracotta pipes, although it can be more challenging than detecting metallic utilities. Here are some commonly used methods:
- Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR): GPR is a geophysical method that uses radar pulses to image the subsurface. It can detect non-metallic as well as metallic utilities. However, its effectiveness can be limited in certain soil types, such as clay, which can absorb the radar signal.
- Acoustic Pipe Locating: For water and sewer pipes, this method can be used. It involves inserting a probe that transmits a sonic signal and then tracing the location of the pipe using a receiver that detects the signal.
- Insertable Traceable Rodders: These are used mainly for small-diameter, non-pressurised conduits. The rodder, which has a traceable wire built into it, is pushed into the conduit. The location and path of the conduit can then be traced using a standard pipe and cable locator.
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): Some non-metallic pipes are installed with RFID tags attached at regular intervals. These tags can be detected from the surface with an appropriate reader.
It’s critical to note that while these methods can locate non-metallic utilities, they can be more complex and time-consuming than standard methods for finding metallic utilities. It’s always recommended to use a skilled and experienced utility-locating professional for this kind of work.
User Can all types of materials be detected with underground service locating?
Underground service locators can detect a wide variety of utility materials, including metallic and non-metallic materials. However, the effectiveness and accuracy of detection can vary based on the type of material, the method used for detection, and other factors such as the depth of the utility and soil conditions.
Here are the most common types of materials that can be found:
- Metallic Materials: This includes materials like iron, copper, steel, and aluminium. These are generally the easiest to detect using traditional electromagnetic equipment.
- Non-Metallic Materials: This includes materials like plastic, PVC, concrete, terracotta, and fibreglass. Some of these can be detected using methods like ground penetrating radar (GPR), acoustic pipe locating, or traceable rodders, but they can be more challenging to locate than metallic utilities.
However, there are limitations. Not all materials can be detected, and not all can be detected to the same degree of accuracy. For instance, very small or very deep utilities can be difficult to locate, regardless of their material. Soil conditions can also interfere with detection capabilities, particularly for GPR.
It’s also worthwhile to note that successful utility locating relies not only on the right equipment but also on operator skill and experience. Differentiating between utilities and other underground features, interpreting the signals accurately, and understanding the limitations of the equipment are all crucial aspects of the job.
What happens if a utility is hit during construction?
If a utility line is hit during construction, it can have serious and far-reaching consequences. Here’s what could happen:
- Safety Hazards: Striking an underground utility can create immediate safety risks. For example, damaging a gas line can lead to a gas leak, which can cause an explosion if ignited. Hitting an electric line can lead to electrocution. These can result in severe injuries or even fatalities.
- Service Interruption: Damaging a utility can disrupt service to nearby homes and businesses. This can be an inconvenience for customers and could also have more serious impacts if it affects critical services like hospitals or emergency services.
- Environmental Damage: If the utility contains hazardous substances, like fuel or sewage, a spill could contaminate soil or waterways.
- Financial Consequences: Repairing a damaged utility can be costly. The party responsible for the damage can be held liable for repair costs. In addition, there could be fines or legal penalties for violating regulations related to safe digging. Other costs could come from project delays, potential lawsuits, increased insurance premiums, and damage to the company’s reputation.
- Legal Obligations: Regulations generally require that utility hits be reported immediately to the utility company and sometimes also to regulatory authorities. This can lead to an investigation and, depending on the circumstances, potential legal penalties.
When a utility is accidentally struck, it is critical to act immediately to ensure safety (such as evacuating the area if there is a gas leak), report the incident to the appropriate authorities, and cooperate fully with the investigation that follows. Additionally, it’s worthwhile to improve training or safety procedures as a result of the incident.
A thorough utility location before digging, careful planning and execution of excavation work, and ongoing vigilance and communication on the job site are the best ways to avoid hitting utilities in the first place.
