Hydrovac & Hydro Excavation in Holland

Hydro excavation in Holland

Holland, in Ottawa and Allegan counties on Lake Macatawa, had 34,378 residents in 2020. Its city-owned Holland Board of Public Works (BPW), founded in 1883, provides electricity, water, and sewer service.

The snowmelt system

Since 1988, downtown Holland has kept streets and sidewalks clear with a snowmelt system. Waste heat from power generation warms water that circulates through about 190 miles of tubing under the pavement and back to the BPW plant. The system pumps over 4,700 gallons per minute at about 95°F. The city says it covers about 690,000 square feet of public streets and sidewalks, plus about 190,000 square feet of private snowmelt connected to city mains. A city fact sheet describes the design as distribution pipes feeding ¾-inch tubes spaced about every 6 inches under the surface.

For downtown sidewalk, storefront, sign, or utility work, that means a dense layer of shallow tubing and mains. Dig with care, coordinate with the BPW, and pothole before any cutting or boring. The system is a closed loop, and it circulates year-round.

A municipal utility

Because the BPW provides electric, water, and sewer service in its territory, one public owner may hold several of the lines on your site. Gas service comes from a separate company. See the MPSC natural gas service area map.

Typical Holland-area requests

• Potholing downtown around snowmelt mains and tubing
• Utility verification for streetscape and building projects
• Fiber and electric crossings in Ottawa and Allegan counties
• Curb stop and service line exposure

Sources: City of Holland: Snowmelt System; City of Holland: Snowmelt Fact Sheet; Census Reporter: Holland housing (ACS 2020–2024); Wikipedia: Holland, Michigan.

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