Wollongong Service Locator
Get underground utilities detected, marked, and verified, safely, accurately, and by NSW-compliant experts. Avoid costly asset strikes and project delays. Smartscan Locators delivers certified utility locating in Wollongong using GPR, EMI, and non-destructive vacuum excavation. All services comply with AS 5488 and NSW WHS requirements.
Why Is Professional Utility Locating Essential Before You Dig in Wollongong?
Before breaking ground on any Wollongong project, from driveways to deep trenching, verifying underground services is not optional; it’s a legal and safety requirement. Utility strikes can lead to serious injury, major outages, and expensive repair liabilities. While “Before You Dig” plans offer an important starting point, they don’t show the exact position, depth, or alignment of assets on-site. That’s where certified service locators like Smartscan Locators come in.
We use advanced Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), electromagnetic (EM) locating, and non-destructive digging (NDD) to pinpoint utilities with precision. Our services comply with the AS 5488 Subsurface Utility Information (SUI) classification, which documents quality levels of detection for complete duty-of-care compliance. Whether you’re a contractor, builder, or homeowner in Wollongong, we ensure your site is marked, mapped, and verified before excavation begins.
What Services Can a Certified Locator Help You Detect Under Wollongong Soil?
Smartscan Locators identifies and maps all major underground services that may exist beneath residential, commercial, or industrial sites in Wollongong. These include both metallic and non-metallic assets, even under concrete, asphalt, or congested corridors.
Using GPR and EM locators, we detect and mark electricity cables (LV/HV), gas lines, water mains, sewer pipes, stormwater systems, telecommunications, and fibre optic cables. For more complex sites, our team integrates CCTV pipe inspection and vacuum excavation to validate what’s beneath. Each asset is located with its alignment, depth, and class reported according to AS 5488 standards, providing you with real risk insight and actionable field data.
Don’t guess. Know what’s underground before you dig.
How Do Certified Locators Identify and Verify Underground Utilities in Wollongong?
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR): Can GPR find non-metallic services or voids?
Yes, GPR is ideal for detecting both metallic and non-metallic utilities, such as PVC or fibre optics. It’s also used to find rebar, slab structures, and subsurface voids. Smartscan uses calibrated Leica and Mala GPR units for deep and accurate subsurface scanning, even through concrete or asphalt. GPR is particularly effective in mixed soil conditions common in Wollongong.
Electromagnetic (EM) Tracing: What services can EM locators detect?
EM locating detects metallic services like copper, steel, and live power. Using RD8000 and Vivax Vloc3 locators, Smartscan’s technicians trace signal paths, identify depths, and follow routes with precision. We also trace non-metallic conduits when equipped with tracer wires or sondes.
Vacuum Excavation (NDD): Why is potholing required for verification?
Potholing is a non-destructive digging method that safely exposes underground utilities without damaging them. Smartscan Locators operates low-noise, PTO-equipped vacuum trucks (6,000–9,000L) that are ideal for sensitive or noise-restricted areas, including Wollongong’s residential and council-managed zones.
Vacuum excavation allows us to physically verify service alignments and depths at critical crossing points, a key step for achieving AS 5488 Quality Level A. This method is especially valuable when utility congestion, outdated plans, or known high-risk zones are present. It reduces excavation risk, improves accuracy, and ensures compliance with WHS obligations.
CCTV Pipe Inspection: How do you confirm sewer or stormwater layouts?
CCTV inspection is a non-invasive technique used to confirm the condition, direction, and connectivity of underground pipe systems. Smartscan Locators deploys high-definition, push-rod and crawler-mounted cameras into sewer, stormwater, or conduit lines to capture internal visuals of junctions, defects, and blockages.
This method confirms pipe routes where external detection is limited, such as in non-metallic pipes or when surface obstructions are present. It supports accurate mapping, rehabilitation planning, and risk identification before any excavation. CCTV data can be integrated into digital maps and reports for full asset visibility.
Combined Methodology: Do you use multiple locating methods together?
Yes, for complete detection and verification, Smartscan Locators always applies a multi-technology approach tailored to each site’s conditions. Our process begins with EM for metallic tracing, then GPR for non-metallic and structural scanning. Where asset confirmation is required, we deploy vacuum excavation for physical exposure.
This layered methodology ensures maximum accuracy and traceability, especially on complex infrastructure projects in Wollongong, where utility records may be incomplete. It enables us to meet AS 5488 SUI requirements, deliver defendable reports, and reduce your risk of costly delays, rework, or utility strikes. Every step is documented and aligned with industry best practices.
What Do You Receive After a Professional
Utility Locate in Wollongong?
Smartscan delivers more than just markings, we provide full-service documentation, site insights, and GPS-ready outputs that comply with AS 5488 and WHS standards.)
Surface Markings (Colour-Coded to Australian Standards)
Every located utility is marked on the ground using standard colour codes. This allows crews to clearly avoid known assets and work confidently around them.
SUI Quality Level Report (AS 5488 Format)
Our reports classify utility data into AS 5488 quality levels, giving clients visibility into detection confidence, verification status, and location methods used.
GPS Utility Map and Site Report
Optional GPS-mapped outputs are available for integration into CAD or 12D models. Final reports include images, depth data, alignment, and expert recommendations.
What Should You Confirm Before Booking a Utility Locator in Wollongong?
Have you reviewed “Before You Dig” plans but need on-site confirmation?
Is your project in a high-risk or congested service corridor?
Do you require AS 5488 classification or GPS mapping for documentation?
Are you excavating near critical assets like power, fibre or water mains?
Do you need a certified, insured locator familiar with Wollongong soil conditions?
Areas We Serve
Need Service Locator Wollongong? We travel to wherever safe excavation is needed.
Sydney Metro & Greater Western Sydney
Serving Sydney Metro and Western Sydney with professional upholstery cleaning.
Liverpool, Kings Langley, Campbelltown
Serving Liverpool to Penrith with expert, and a reliable upholstery cleaning services.
Bankstown, Castle Hill, Camden
Providing expert upholstery cleaning in Bankstown, Castle Hill, Camden, and surrounding Sydney suburbs.
What Do You Need to Know Before Hiring a Service Locator in Wollongong?
Is underground service locating required by law in NSW?
Yes. Under NSW WHS legislation, you must take reasonable steps to identify underground assets before excavation. Plans alone are not enough; on-site locating and verification are critical.
How accurate is utility locating with GPR or EM?
Accuracy depends on asset type, soil conditions, and the method used. GPR is ideal for non-metallic detection, and EM is highly effective on metallic services. All results are SUI-classified.
Can GPR detect pipes under concrete or asphalt?
Yes, particularly in dry, contrast-rich conditions. Smartscan uses slab-ready GPR systems capable of identifying PVC, fibre optics, and rebar, even in dense concrete environments.
What’s the difference between DBYD plans and on-site locating?
DBYD plans provide guidance based on asset owner records. On-site locating identifies the real-world position, depth, and condition; they are complementary, not interchangeable.
What happens if a utility is hit during excavation?
Utility strikes can cause injury, legal action, delays, and major cost overruns. Certified locating and NDD dramatically reduce these risks and support your WHS obligations.
Book Your Service Locator Wollongong Today
Get the job done right, without damaging underground assets. Smartscan Locators is here to support your Service Locator Wollongong with the tools, certifications, and knowledge to dig safely.
