Surveys for Utilities, Drainage & Below-Ground Risk

Cura Surveys provides underground utility mapping and drainage survey services for developers, architects, engineers, contractors, property owners and project managers across the UK.

Before excavation, redevelopment or construction begins, project teams need reliable information about buried services, drainage routes and below-ground constraints. We provide PAS128 utility surveys, ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic tracing, drainage CCTV inspections and coordinated topographical survey drawings.

Our surveys help clients understand potential below-ground risks, plan works more safely and reduce reliance on incomplete or outdated records.

Understanding Below-Ground Site Constraints

Buried utilities and drainage systems may not be accurately shown on existing drawings or statutory records. Service routes may have changed, undocumented connections may exist, and some features may be difficult to detect from the surface.

Our surveys can help identify and map:

• Electricity cables
• Telecommunications routes
• Water mains
• Gas services
• Drainage pipes
• Foul and surface-water systems
• Ducts and service corridors
• Manholes and chambers
• Gullies and drainage covers
• Utility markers and inspection points
• Visible service connections
• Potential unidentified radar responses

Survey results are presented clearly for use by design, construction and site teams.

PAS128 Underground Utility Surveys

Cura Surveys provides PAS128 utility survey services using appropriate combinations of desktop records, visual inspection, electromagnetic locating and ground penetrating radar.

The survey can include:

• Review of available utility records
• Site reconnaissance
• Electromagnetic service tracing
• Ground penetrating radar scanning
• Survey of visible utility features
• Position and depth information where detectable
• Utility mapping in CAD format
• Coordination with topographical survey information
• PAS128 quality-level reporting where included in the agreed scope

The final drawing helps the project team understand the known and detectable utility environment before design or excavation works begin.

Ground Penetrating Radar and Electromagnetic Locating

No single method can detect every buried service. We therefore use complementary techniques where appropriate.

Ground penetrating radar can help identify buried features based on changes beneath the surface. Electromagnetic locating can trace conductive services or utilities carrying a detectable signal.

Using both methods can improve coverage across the site and help identify:

• Metallic and non-metallic services
• Ducts and service trenches
• Pipes and cables
• Changes in buried construction
• Unidentified radar responses
• Connections between visible surface features

Detection depends on site conditions, utility material, depth, ground type, congestion and access.

Drainage CCTV Surveys

Drainage CCTV surveys provide visual information about the condition and route of accessible drainage pipes.

Our drainage services can include:

• CCTV inspection of accessible pipework
• Manhole and chamber records
• Pipe diameter and material information
• Direction and connectivity
• Defect observations
• Blockages, displacement and damage
• Root intrusion or debris
• Still images and video records
• Drainage survey reports
• Invert levels relative to cover where included
• Jetting or descaling where separately agreed

CCTV information can support refurbishment, redevelopment, maintenance, drainage design and investigation of existing problems.

Coordinated Topographical, Utility and Drainage Surveys

Where a project requires a more complete understanding of the site, we can combine topographical, utility and drainage information into one coordinated survey package.

This can include:

• Existing ground levels
• Buildings and structures
• Roads, kerbs and footways
• Walls, fences and boundaries
• Drainage covers and chambers
• Visible utility features
• Detected underground services
• Drainage routes and connections
• Access areas and site constraints
• CAD drawings using a common grid and datum

Providing coordinated information reduces gaps between separate survey datasets and gives the design team a clearer picture of both above-ground and below-ground conditions.

Typical Projects

Our utility and drainage survey services support:

• Construction and excavation projects
• New developments
• Residential and commercial redevelopment
• Public-realm improvements
• Highways and access works
• Drainage alterations
• Building extensions
• Utility diversions
• Car parks and external works
• School and public-sector estates
• Industrial and infrastructure sites
• Refurbishment and change-of-use projects
• Pre-acquisition investigations
• Maintenance and asset-record updates

Survey Deliverables

Depending on the agreed scope, deliverables can include:

• PAS128 utility survey drawings
• CAD utility maps
• PDF survey drawings
• GPR survey results
• Electromagnetic tracing information
• Utility depth observations where detectable
• Topographical survey drawings
• Manhole and chamber schedules
• Drainage CCTV reports
• CCTV video and still images
• Pipe route and condition information
• Coordinated utility, drainage and surface-feature data

Survey Scope and Limitations

Utility and drainage surveys reduce uncertainty, but non-intrusive methods cannot guarantee that every buried feature will be detected.

Survey results may be affected by:

• Depth of the utility
• Service material
• Ground conditions
• Reinforced concrete
• Surface access
• Congested service areas
• Standing water or debris
• Inaccessible chambers
• Blocked drainage pipes
• Incomplete statutory information

The survey scope, methods and limitations are clearly stated so the project team understands how the information should be used.

Why Choose Cura Surveys?

Cura Surveys combines utility and drainage investigation with wider land, building and engineering survey capability.

We provide:

• RICS-regulated survey services
• More than 20 years of surveying experience
• PAS128 utility survey capability
• Ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic tracing
• Drainage CCTV inspections and reporting
• Topographical, engineering and measured building surveys
• Coordinated CAD survey deliverables
• Total station, GNSS and laser scanning capability
• Clear survey scopes and stated limitations
• Practical information for design, construction and risk management

Our focus is to provide clear and usable information that helps project teams better understand below-ground risks before work begins.