Hydro Excavation FAQ

A truck that uses pressurized water to loosen soil and a high-powered vacuum to lift the slurry into a debris tank. It's used to dig near buried utilities without mechanical contact.

Michigan's MISS DIG Act defines soft excavation to include "vacuum excavation methods," alongside hand-digging and similar methods. Within the 48-inch caution zone, marked facilities must be exposed by soft excavation before power equipment is used. You still must file a dig notice. See MISS DIG 811.

Yes. Using a hydrovac doesn't replace the notice requirement. Give notice at least 72 hours (excluding nonbusiness days) and no more than 14 calendar days before excavation, by dialing 811, 800-482-7171, or filing online with MISS DIG 811.

It varies by job. One 2026 guide cites many market estimates around $375–$475 per hour and $750–$2,000 for small 1–3 hole jobs, with minimum charges often around a half day. These are national figures. See the cost guide.

Yes, many trucks heat their water to cut through frozen ground. Expect slower production and possibly higher cost. Cost guides note frozen ground can slow work by 30–50%.

Hydro cuts dense clay and frozen ground well, but it creates wet slurry that must be hauled. Air excavation leaves dry spoil that can often be reused as backfill, but it struggles in heavy clay. Some operators offer both.

Operators haul it to an approved disposal or dewatering facility. Disposal fees and distance are part of the price. Sites with known contamination may require testing and special handling.

Depth depends on the truck, boom, and soil. Ask operators about their practical depth for your conditions, especially beyond 15 feet, where shoring and confined-space rules come into play.

MISS DIG notifies its member facility owners, who mark their own lines. Privately owned lines, such as feeds to outbuildings, private laterals, and site lighting, are generally not marked by utilities. A private locator plus potholing is a common approach.

A private locate uses surface instruments, mainly electromagnetic (EM) locators and ground penetrating radar (GPR), to mark where lines probably are. Potholing with a hydrovac physically exposes them so you can see the actual position and depth. Many projects use both. See private utility locating & concrete scanning.

No. We're a free referral service. We pass your request to an independent operator who contacts you directly. We don't vet, license, insure, or guarantee any company, so please verify insurance, safety programs, and disposal practices yourself.

It depends on the operator and the area. Mark your request as "Emergency / same day" if it's urgent, or email us at [email protected] for anything time-critical.