EM Wand Utility Locating Services Illustration | GPRS Images

UTILITY LOCATING SERVICES

Private Property • Public Property • Utility Mapping

RAPID RESPONSE - NATIONWIDE SERVICE

With over 500 Project Managers stationed in every major market across the United States, GPRS has an unmatched nationwide utility mapping & utility locating service network. It is quick and easy to find an expert Project Manager near you. GPRS ensures we can reach your location within 24 to 48 hours of contact to solve any and all of your utility locating & mapping needs. Contact GPRS by clicking below for information, pricing, and scheduling

GPRS locates public & private utility lines as part of our services, but we do not provide state-mandated, free 811 services.

Click Here to Learn More & Access Your State's 811 One Call Service.
utility locating | GPRS Images
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PRIVATE UTILITY LOCATING
The one-call system (811) is responsible for marking all publicly owned utilities but will not typically mark depths and will not mark any privately owned utilities. There will be at least some private utilities on almost any construction project or could even include all of the utilities on the entire site. Therefore, to receive a comprehensive locate, a private utility locating firm must be utilized to ensure that all buried utilities are located.  The private locating process protects all site employees from potential line strike damages.
utility mapping | GPRS Images
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FACILITY UTILITY LOCATING & MAPPING
Accurate, up to date as-built drawings and facility maps are a key to success for any construction project. The planning phase of a project relies heavily on the accuracy of the information obtained in the existing facility maps, which details the site’s underground infrastructure. With our facility mapping and modeling services, the GPRS Deliverables Department can update existing or create new as-built drawings that portray actual site conditions – including any variations, renovations, or unknown pipes.
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SOIL BORING & DIRECTIONAL DRILLING CLEARANCE
Locating underground utilities is crucial when performing services requiring directional drilling, Phase I or II investigations, environmental drilling and sampling, locating underground storage tanks, soil borings, installing monitoring wells, or site remediation. With our nationwide network of Project Managers, GPRS can mobilize to your site quickly and locate critical utilities or USTs that could conflict with your drilling or excavation area.
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ONE CALL UTILITY LOCATING SERVICES
GPRS continuously exceeds industry performance when it comes to the precision and accuracy of our utility locating services. We are equipped to partner with utility providers to manage one-call contracts or to  complement 811 locates by confirming utility locations using multiple technologies or providing depths and additional information. Whether supporting locating tickets for assets such as public utilities, pipelines, and facilities or campuses on private property – GPRS is the clear choice for damage prevention.
The cost of a private utility locate can vary widely depending on the scope of your job. GPRS customizes every job quote to meet your needs and provides complete GPS-enabled documentation of your utility map via SiteMap®.

Utility Damage Stats

2000 Injuries gif  - GPRS -  Ground Penetrating Radar 400 deaths gif  - GPRS -  Ground Penetrating Radar Over 532,000 Line Strikes30 Billion Damages GIF  - GPRS -  Ground Penetrating Radar Utility Strike Every 60 Seconds GIF
Root Cause – Insufficient Ground Disturbance Policies, mis-marked utilities or no locate completed. Source: CGA Dirt Report (Injury & Damage stats are since 2000)

U.S. infrastructure stats

In the U.S., there are over 800,000 miles of public sewers and 500,000 miles of private lateral sewers connecting private property to public sewer lines. Each of these conveyance systems is susceptible to structural failure, blockages, and overflows.

Approximately 50% of annual expenditures, in the wastewater sector, go to operation and maintenance.

There is roughly 1 million miles of potable water piping across the country. With many of these pipes having been installed in the early mid-20th century, it is no surprise that an estimated 240,000 and counting water mains break per year.

According to the ASCE, the total infrastructure budget needed to repair and upgrade our wastewater system is estimated at $150 billion.

Sanitary sewer overflows are due to blockages, line breaks, sewer defects that allow water to overload the system, lapses in sewer system operation and maintenance, power failures, inadequate sewer design, and vandalism. EPA estimates that there are at least 23,000 to 75,000 sanitary sewer overflows per year.
Source – ASCE Infrastructure Report Card

equipment used

GPR cart | GPRS Images

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a detection method that uses radio waves to identify buried or hidden components within a structure or beneath a surface. GPR has the ability to detect both metallic and non-metallic objects for a wide range of applications.
EM wand | GPRS Images

em locating

Electromagnetic pipe and cable locators offer another solution for locating and locating underground utilities. Made up of a transmitter and a receiver, electromagnetic locating uses the transmitter to emit a selected frequency, relying on the receiver to detect where the utilities are located.
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Electromagnetic induction (EMI)

EMI is used by GPRS to detect objects such as USTs, utilities, well heads, foundations, etc. EMI compliments GPR well because it works best in the conditions that are least conducive for GPR.
Rigid push cam  | GPRS Images

push cameras

Push cameras are a smaller camera system with the ability to be manually fed into pipes smaller than 6”. Each camera is equipped with a sonde to allow for locating the pipe or locations of laterals and obstructions along with the ability to record videos.
Robotic Crawler CCTV  | GPRS Images

Robotic CCTV Crawlers

Powerful and rugged, GPRS’ robotic crawlers are capable of inspecting pipes ranging from 6” to 96” in diameter. The CCTV camera crawler provides accurate views of pipeline/sewer condition and locations.
Schonstedt Magnetic locator, includes new case.  | GPRS Images

magnetometers

Magnetometers are instruments that detect magnetic fields from ferrous, metallic objects. It is typically used by GPRS to detect isolated, metallic objects such as USTs, valves, manholes, and well heads.
An elephant ear leak detection device sitting on pavement.  | GPRS Images

acoustic leak detectors

Acoustic leak detectors are made up of headphones, a microphone, an electric monitor. When combined, these detectors allow GPRS water loss specialists to non-invasively pinpoint the location of a water pipe leak by listening for distinct sounds emitting from the leak.
Leak detection tools  | GPRS Images

leak detection correlators

Leak detection correlators are electronic devices used as a leak locator to find leaks in pressurized water or gas lines.
Various tool used in the Leak Detection process. | GPRS Images

sondes

Sondes are instrument probes that allow GPRS Project Managers to ascertain the location of underground utilities from an inaccessible location.
Utility Locating Project Managers

What Can I Expect When I Hire GPRS?

Clear Communication
GPRS team members will perform a pre and post job walkthrough, outlining all the details about the service that was performed for our clients. We ask the right questions, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Confidence
When you hire a company, confidence in their services and how they perform should be at the top of the list for wants. With GPRS, you get Project Managers who are confident in their skills because they’re well trained and well equipped with top-of-the-line technology and equipment.

Complimentary Maps
For every utility locating job, GPRS offers complimentary PDF and .KMZ maps of your project site or facility! GPRS does this because we fight for a world with 100% subsurface damage prevention, and by obtaining new, up-to-date as-built drawings, our clients sleep better at night knowing the locations and make-up of their underground infrastructure. View deliverables examples.

GPRS Deliverables Department
Our Deliverables Department is not only here to help create our complimentary maps but deliver clear and understandable findings with each of our outputs. In addition to our PDF and .KMZ map files, outputs include field sketches, CAD drawings that provide 2D site plans, and even 3D CAD models. Additionally, upon the completion of every project, customers receive a job summary that includes job scope information, site photos, description of site conditions, equipment used, and notes from the project. View deliverables examples.

SiteMap Data Storage & Map Viewer
– On top of complimentary facility maps, GPRS delivers an additional service, offering you the opportunity to store all your site data in a protected, cloud-based storage system, while also offering a one-of-a-kind map viewer so you can view, edit, download, print, or share your up-to-date facility maps. Utility Locating Explained.

5 Faq's ABOUT GPR & UTILITY LOCATING

1. what is ground penetrating radar (GPR)?

Ground penetrating radar is a detection method which uses radio waves to identify buried or hidden components within a structure or beneath a surface. This non-destructive method uses antennas of varying strengths to transmit a signal into a surface. As the signal encounters different components within that surface, it is bounced back to a receiver at the surface. This action creates a reading which can be reviewed by experienced GPRS Project Managers in order to determine the location of utilities and other buried items.

2. how is gpr used?

Ground penetrating radar is used to identify the location of objects beneath the surface. GPRS uses this radar for utility locating and concrete scanning applications. Varying antenna strengths are used for different applications, depending on the type of material being scanned and how far down we can expect to find buried materials.

3. does gpr have any limitations

GPR is extremely effective at locating subsurface utilities and other materials, however it does have certain limitations. Ground conditions, weather, and type of material being located are just a few of the potential limiting factors. GPRS Project Managers are skilled in determining if GPR is the right choice for you project. In the event that conditions are not suitable for GPR scanning, an alternative recommendation can be made.

4. what type of gpr equipment is used?

GPRS uses a variety of ground penetrating radar and scanning tools according to a project’s needs. Our two most commonly used pieces of equipment are the concrete scanning antenna and the utility locating antenna. Read more about the different types of equipment we use here.

5. how can i determine if gpr is needed for my project?

Contact GPRS by phone or through our website and a local GPRS representative will be in touch with you as soon as possible. Our representatives and local Project Managers are skilled in assessing local conditions and can help you to figure out how GPR services can meet your needs.

The difference between Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) and Private Utility Locating.
Utility Locating Markings Map | GPRS Images