Locating Buried Plastic Services (UK)

**Blackhut** · January 25th, 2012, 04:20 AM

Good Morning All

I work as a Health and Safety Officer within the construction industry in the UK. Part of my role is to locate services prior to excavting foundations etc. Can you guys out there who locate full time give me any tips on how (or if ) you manage to locate plastic services (gas and Water mainly). We have a night mare in the uk as our legislation states we 'Must' locate services prior to excavting however we still bury plastic pipes with no metal in them to aid with location. PS don't think we can afford to buy a ground pentrating RADAR !! I operate a Radio detection RD7000 with 1 watt Generator.

Thanks in advance

**Millertime** · January 25th, 2012, 05:21 AM

Only 3 ways to locate plastic.
1) Hope there is a tracer wire buried with it
2) GPR
3) Disconnect the service and shove a fishtape through it.

**Dave72** · January 25th, 2012, 07:00 AM

Dont forget witching. One of the sewer and water guys here does it all the time. Of course, you'd need to pothole it to verify the locate before digging..

**NASCARFAN1981** · January 25th, 2012, 06:15 PM

We have alot of gas in my area that does not have tracer as well. The company has purchaced GPR units for these instances. You may have to put out some $$ to get one.