What is professional utility locating?

Professional utility locating is the process of identifying and marking the approximate location of underground utilities, buried structures, storage tanks, tunnels, and other subsurface features that may affect design, excavation, or construction activities.

What is Subsurface Utility Engineering?

Subsurface Utility Engineering, or SUE, is a specialized engineering process used to identify, classify, map, and manage the risks associated with underground and aerial utility infrastructure before construction begins.

Why are utility locating and SUE important before construction?

Utility locating and SUE help reduce the risk of utility strikes, construction delays, change orders, safety hazards, and design conflicts by giving project teams better information about existing utility conditions before work begins.

What types of utilities can UES help locate?

UES can help locate or evaluate utilities and subsurface features such as water, sewer, stormwater, gas, electric, telecommunications, conduits, storage tanks, tunnels, buried structures, and other potential below-ground conflicts.

What deliverables can UES provide for utility locating and SUE?

Depending on the project scope, UES can provide field markings, utility maps, reports, 2D drawings, 3D deliverables, digital files, and other documentation to support design, construction planning, excavation, and coordination.

Professional Utility Locating and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE)

Understanding what lies below the surface is critical to safer design, more efficient construction, and better project outcomes. UES provides professional utility locating, Subsurface Utility Engineering, and Subsurface Information Modeling (SIM) services that help clients identify underground infrastructure, reduce risk, and make more informed decisions before excavation or construction begins. By combining licensed professional expertise with advanced geophysical technologies and digital deliverables, we provide a clearer picture of subsurface conditions to support planning, coordination, and risk mitigation across every stage of a project.

Depending on site conditions and project goals, UES may deploy a range of geophysical tools to help evaluate subsurface conditions with greater confidence and accuracy. These tools can include single-channel ground penetrating radar (GPR), multichannel ground penetrating radar (MCGPR), electromagnetic locating equipment, magnetometry, and other complementary methods selected based on the type of infrastructure, soil conditions, and level of detail required. By applying the right combination of technologies in the field, we help clients gain a more complete understanding of underground conditions and reduce uncertainty during planning, design, and construction.

Our Professional Utility Locating and Subsurface Utility Engineering Services Include:

If you need geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, materials testing and/or inspection services, contact UES today to find out how we can serve as your trusted partner.