Hydro Excavation is the process of utilizing pressurized water and strong vacuum suction to remove or move soil. This non-mechanical and non-invasive method of excavation and evacuation is a common practice in construction to locate utility lines and cables.
It compiles soil and slurry into a debris tank on the back of a hydro excavation truck. When the debris is excavated, it is either disposed of or placed back into the ground. Hydro excavation is the most accurate, cost-effective, and safest way to locate underground utilities.
When attempting to locate underground utilities, there is always the risk of injury to workers. This is especially true when manually excavating with tools like shovels, posthole diggers, or other common tools. Non-professionals are not aware of the risks involved with manual excavation, or know how to proceed when faced with the need to excavate soil.
Many don’t realize that in the United States, there are over 19 million miles of utility wires and cables underneath our feet and even below bodies of water. If these lines are disturbed or damaged during excavation or by accident, damage and even deadly accidents can occur. Manual excavation is a significant threat to local ecosystems and terrain. It can also lead to soil erosion which harms wildlife and cause property damage.
During construction, the disclosed dangers of underground utilities is at the forefront of every contractor’s mind. Hazards of manual excavation include electricity, natural gas, steam, and water. The combination of water and electricity is particularly dangerous. Injuries such as electric shock, respiratory illness, burns, and even death are much more likely during manual excavation. This is where hydro excavation comes in.
During hydro excavation, risk of injury is low to non-existent as the bulk of the work is done by an industrial-strength vacuum and water pressure. The process evacuates soil, water, and slurry immediately for fast and precise results.
The combination of the pressurized air vacuum and high-pressure water quickly penetrates both wet and dry debris to get the job done faster. Water cuts through the soil and the vacuum works to lift up the debris from the excavation site and into the debris tank.
For the process of hydro excavation, contractors must decide on a vacuum method either a fan or a positive displacement blower. A positive displacement blower, or a PD blower is a machine designed to move air. PD blowers are powered by positive displacement technology that forces air into a pipe or hose, (such as the ones on hydro excavation trucks). The trapped air is forced out against the pressurized system used to vacuum the debris during hydro excavation.
Fans are the more efficient option during hydro excavation. These systems can move large amounts of air faster than PD blowers. Fan systems are also lighter, less expensive, and easier to use than PD blowers. While the fan systems are the most used, PD blowers can move air further distances than fans. Excavations completed with PD blowers take longer but can be done at greater depths.
When completing a construction job, utilities are almost always involved. The combination of high-pressure air and water used in hydro excavation is ideal for soil excavation and locating utilities.
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