Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Services

SUE Services with Bateman Civil Survey Company

At Bateman Civil Survey Company (BCSC), we understand that what you can’t see underground can have the biggest impact on your project’s safety, schedule, and budget. We combine advanced technology with years of experience to deliver accurate underground data. That means fewer risks, delays, and most importantly, a safer job site where your team is protected.

SUE Quality Levels

SUE services are classified into four Quality Levels (QLs), defined by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Each level provides progressively greater accuracy and detail.

QL-D: Uses existing utility records and maps. Useful for preliminary planning but limited in accuracy.
QL-C: Combines QL-D data with field surveys of visible utility features such as manholes, valves, and pedestals. Helps identify discrepancies in records.
QL-B: Employs EM locating and GPR to identify and map utilities with much higher precision. BCSC delivers CAD files of mapped utilities for design use.
QL-A: The highest level of accuracy, achieved by non-destructive vacuum excavation to expose and verify utility attributes such as size, depth, material, and condition.

At Bateman Civil Survey Company, we deliver the appropriate level of detail to match your project’s needs, timeline, and budget.

How We Locate Underground Utilities

At Bateman Civil Survey Company, we combine state-of-the-art equipment with decades of industry knowledge and experience to deliver safe, accurate, and cost-effective results.

Electromagnetic Locating Subsurface Utility Engineering

Electromagnetic Locating (EM)

Electromagnetic (EM) locating is one of the most reliable methods for tracing metallic utilities. Using a transmitter and receiver system, we can detect buried conductors with precision.

Active Mode (Preferred): A transmitter sends a traceable frequency through the utility line, which the receiver detects at the surface.
Passive Mode: The receiver listens for naturally occurring signals from live conductors without sending its own frequency.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

For non-metallic utilities and more complex conditions, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) offers a higher level of detection. GPR sends radio waves into the ground and measures reflections from subsurface structures.

BCSC utilizes a dual-channel antenna GPR system with integrated GPS, combining 400 MHz and 800 MHz antennas for maximum productivity—often completing locations in a single pass. GPR is a non-destructive method, meaning utilities remain undisturbed while we provide detailed mapping.

Why Choose Bateman Civil Survey Company?

Comprehensive Coverage

We locate both public and private utilities, ensuring no surprises during excavation.

Safety First

Protecting your team, the public, and critical infrastructure is our top priority.

Proven Expertise

With years of experience and specialized training, we deliver results you can trust.

State-of-the-Art Technology

From advanced EM locators to GPS-enabled GPR, we use the latest tools to ensure accuracy.

Ethics and Reliability

We’re committed to customer satisfaction, professionalism, and long-term relationships built on trust.

Reputation in Every Project

Each job is an opportunity to demonstrate our skill, dedication, and integrity.

Who Needs Subsurface Utility Engineering?

SUE is essential for anyone planning to dig, trench, or excavate. We work with:

General contractors
Surveyors and engineers
Utility providers
Municipalities and DOTs
Excavators and construction crews
Property owners and developers
Homeowners working on private projects

Whether you’re designing a roadway, installing utilities, or planning site improvements, our services provide the assurance that you have the most accurate and current underground utility information available—without disturbing the soil.

What is Subsurface Utility Engineering?

Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) is a specialized branch of civil engineering that uses advanced technologies and proven methodologies to locate and map underground utilities to make projects safer.

These utilities can include:

Electric lines
Telephone and fiber optics
Natural gas and oil pipelines
Water mains and sanitary force mains
Cable television lines
Streetlight conduits
And more

Subsurface Utility Engineering substation

In the United States, it’s the law to call #811 before you begin any excavation work. This nationwide “Call Before You Dig” service connects you with local utility companies, who will then send locators to mark the position of publicly owned utilities such as city water mains, sewer lines, or electrical distribution systems.

What many don’t realize, though, is that roughly 60% of utilities in the United States are privately owned. That means a large portion of buried infrastructure will remain unmarked, and in some cases, public utility markings may be inaccurate.

Our SUE services fill in those gaps, providing accurate, detailed data on both public and private utilities—so you can make informed decisions and prevent costly, dangerous mistakes.

Subsurface Utility Engineering GPS with piping

Why SUE Matters

Underground utilities are one of the most common and dangerous unknowns on a construction site. Striking an unmarked or inaccurately marked line can bring work to a halt, but the consequences go far beyond delays. At Bateman Civil Survey Company, we believe injury prevention is always the #1 priority, and that means identifying and avoiding these risks before a single shovel or machine breaks ground.

Serious Injuries or Fatalities

The greatest risk of hitting an underground utility is the harm it can cause to the people on site. Striking a gas line, high-voltage electrical line, or pressurized water main can lead to explosions, electrocution, or other life-threatening incidents.

No project deadline or budget is worth putting your crew in harm’s way. With accurate Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services, you eliminate the guesswork and ensure your team can work with confidence in a safer environment.

Protecting lives is not optional—it’s the foundation of every responsible project.

Damage to Critical Infrastructure

Underground infrastructure keeps our communities running. Damaging a buried utility can disrupt essential services like power, clean water, internet, or natural gas. Not only does this compromise public safety, but it can also create cascading problems for other infrastructure connected to that system.

Preventing damage through SUE isn’t just about avoiding costs—it’s about maintaining the integrity of the systems that people rely on every day. By protecting infrastructure, you’re protecting the community your project serves.

Service Outages That Impact Communities

Striking a utility doesn’t only affect the jobsite—it can ripple outward into neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and hospitals. Power outages, water disruptions, or downed communication lines can leave hundreds or thousands of people without essential services.

The last thing any project team wants is to be responsible for a community-wide service disruption. By investing in thorough utility locating, you prevent outages before they happen and keep communities safe and connected.

Remember: preventing outages is part of preventing harm.

Expensive Repairs and Legal Liability

Hitting an unmarked line almost always results in costly repairs, but the financial fallout doesn’t stop there. You may also face legal liability, regulatory fines, increased insurance costs, and long-term damage to your reputation.

Repairing the broken utility is expensive enough, but covering lost productivity and potential lawsuits can multiply the total cost many times over. A relatively small investment in SUE pays for itself by avoiding these risks altogether.

In fact, a 1996 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) study conducted at Purdue University found that for every $1 invested in SUE services, project owners saved an average of $4.62 in cost avoidance.

Injury prevention and cost avoidance go hand in hand—safety saves money.

The Safer Choice

Every one of these risks—from injuries to infrastructure damage—can be avoided with proactive planning and reliable SUE services. At BCSC, we combine advanced technology with years of experience to deliver accurate underground utility data. That means fewer risks, fewer delays, and most importantly, a safer jobsite where your team is protected.

When it comes to excavation, you should never risk the safety of your team. Damage prevention and injury avoidance are always the first priority.

Partner With BCSC for Accurate Utility Locates

Before you dig, trench, or build, partner with Bateman Civil Survey Company for reliable Subsurface Utility Engineering services. Our team ensures your project moves forward safely, on time, and within budget—without the risk of costly surprises underground. We strive to provide contractors, surveyors, excavators, engineers, and/or homeowners with the best possible knowledge of all underground utilities

Contact us today to schedule your SUE services and protect your project from unseen risks.

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