Hydro Excavation, also known as Non Destructive digging is an environmentally friendly process of using high pressure water and vacuum system to safely excavate around underground infrastructure and tree roots.

The water is used to break up even the hardest ground around services and tree roots. The vacuum then draws up the loose slurry into a large tank on the truck.

This safe and precise type of excavation vastly reduces the risk of damages to utilities compared to manual or mechanical digging. Hence, it requires less back fill, labour and restoration.

Advantages of Hydro Excavation

No matter the project, Hydro Excavation (NDD) is becoming the desired method in many areas due to the precision, safety and speed of the technique

  • Cost effective and safe service locating
  • Minimal surface disruptions equate to reduced environmental impact
  • Removes the risk of excavating around services such as gas, water and communications
  • Excavating trenches under driveways and pillars
  • Reduces the cost of reinstatements
  • Safely exposes assets such as optic fibre, tree removal and post hole removal
  • Accessing tight spaces and safely operate close to existing structures
  • The Vac Truck can be located at a distance from the actual area being worked

Our Services

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Modern Equipment

Our modern, efficient Vacuum trucks are operated by our skilled fully trained staff. Our trucks are fitted with high pressure water jets, powerful vacuum systems, large debris tanks and the latest onboard technology. They are suitable for even the harshest of ground and can service projects of any size throughout the CBD, Melbourne Metro and outer suburbs. At Tradetech Services Australia we believe in having quality equipment and staff for your projects.

Special Uses of Hydro Excavation

Hydro excavation or non-destructive digging can help in discovering and identifying the existence of cables, pipes and other underground utilities and is the safest of all excavation methods. Companies such as Utility providers, telecommunication and construction companies and councils engage us to use NDD techniques, especially in environmentally sensitive areas. Some of the areas hydro excavation is suitable for, includes:

  • Underground electrical work
  • Installation/straightening of power poles
  • Removal/relocation/remediating of trees
  • Excavating around underground utilities
  • Installation of safety barriers
  • Pole to pit digging
  • Underground cabling
  • Excavation of trenches
  • High pressure cleaning
  • Potholing or day lighting (the process of exposing the underground pipes to day-light, by digging a test hole)..
Better quality

How Does Hydro Excavation Work?

Hydro excavation Melbourne (also known as vac trucks, sucker trucks, suction excavators) is a precise non-mechanical, non-destructive process that uses pressurised water and an industrial strength vacuum cleaner to simultaneously excavate and evacuate soil. As the pressurised water breaks up the soil, it creates a slurry that is removed by a powerful vacuum into a large debris tank on the Hydro Truck. The NDD process is quick and easy, and as it doesn’t disturb the surrounding soil, it eliminates the possibility of a cave-in. This is also useful when very close to building infrastructures, eliminating damages to these buildings.

How Much Does Hydro Excavation (Non-Destructive Digging) Cost?

Non-destructive digging is an efficient, safe and cost effective alternative to the traditional, mechanical digging process. This method is ideal for projects that have a need for working close to utilities, such as power cables , tree roots, sewer pipes, internet cables, storm drains and other underground assets. When labour costs, speed and risk of damages are considered, non-destructive digging emerges as the method that is the most cost effective.

The cost of hydro excavation may vary slightly, from project to project. This is due to this method relying on several contributing factors including; requirements for waste disposal, existing ground conditions, location of underground assets and cost of labour.

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