Project Quick Facts
- Services: hydro excavation
- Location: Various locations in Maryland
- Timing: Fall 2022
Importance of Hydro Excavation
Locating, installing, and servicing underground utilities and facilities can be risky. Comer Construction’s hydro excavation capabilities provide superior damage and safety control, especially compared to mechanical methods.
Hydro excavation protects underground pipes, lines and cables from damage – reducing repair and restoration costs, increasing accuracy, accelerating completion, and protecting the crew. As high pressure water flows around buried utilities, surrounding soil is saturated and easily removed by the truck’s vacuum.
This method is commonly used in exposing utilities, slot trenching, debris removal, and remote digging, as well as potholing/daylighting, piling hole excavation, and cold weather digging.
Clearing Blockages Without Extensive Excavation
Comer Construction was recently called in by Maryland American Water to use the hydro excavation truck at their plant off of Baltimore Pike in Bel Air, Maryland. We were tasked to clean out sludge and buildup in their tanks, grit chambers and wet wells.
A few days later, Comer Construction was back on site for work in the nearby stream to clean out intakes using the hydro excavation truck. These intakes draw raw stream water and deliver it to the plant grit chambers in preparation for treatment. They were full of sand and settlement, with capacity impaired by 75%. Comer Construction created a dam and barriers to divert the water, giving our crew access to clean and clear the intakes.
This job was particularly dirty – as evidenced by employee Todd Stephen, who could easily host an episode of Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe!
Protecting Employees & Preventing Utility Damage
Soft digging via hydro excavation also saves lives. We were recently tasked with replacing a fire hydrant. There were four unmarked secondary electrical lines that would have injured our team if we used mechanical methods. Thankfully, we used hydro excavation and safely excavated the area.
The crew got the job done, but more importantly were also able to go home that night and see their loved ones.
Hydro excavation services in Maryland
Hydro excavation requires specialized equipment and extensive experience. Comer Construction has both. We operate a GapVax HV-55 truck with 12.5 cylinder capacity using on-site disposal, and 1,200 gallon water capacity. It’s available for use with our expert crews, or as part of our construction equipment rental services.
About Comer Construction
Established in 1982, Comer Construction provides grading and excavation services throughout Maryland as part of our complete site construction packages. Our cutting-edge construction equipment, award-winning safety program, and decades of experience – along with our distinction as a women-owned site development contractor – sets us apart.
Contact us to find out more about what we can do for you.
Get to know Comer Construction:
Grading & Excavation
Maintenance of Traffic
Road Work & Paving
Utilities
HydroVac Truck
