The DIRT Report breakdowns the damage and root cause trends in the utility damage prevention process. The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) has released their annual Dirt Analysis and Recommendations DIRT Report. The full report can be found here. Remember, the first step in protecting underground utilities is installing a reliable locating system. Here are the technical requirements for proper installation of tracer wire and compatible components for end-to-end reliability. “Specs for Water/Sewer Utilities”, “Specs for […]
New CGA white paper, “Natural Gas: Leading the Damage Prevention Industry,” is now available. This document focuses on damage prevention analysis from natural gas distribution professionals to better understand how they can better prevent damage in the future. One take-away recognizes that “mapping, locating, AI/risk modeling, education/training and communications technologies can all be leveraged to drive the next dramatic reduction in damages to buried (utility) facilities…”. Tracer wire systems, installed along with buried facilities, are […]
Are you new to underground utilities? A homeowner? Or just curious about what those colored flags in the ground are? We have the answers for you. The APWA (American Public Works Association) color codes indicate which utilities lie below. Each marker lets the person above the ground understand which utility is below the ground, making it easier to detect for maintenance and excavating. Utility lines could be inches to feet below the surface, which means […]
Wire selection is the first step when choosing a tracer wire system and is a critical decision for long-term reliability. With utility damages increasing year-over-year, it’s more important than ever to install a high-quality tracer wire system to protect underground utility assets. Listed below are 5 mistakes to avoid when selecting tracer wire. Mistake 1: Choosing the Wrong Kind of Tracer Wire for the Job What installation method is required for the job? For […]
So you’ve installed a tracer wire system for underground utilities, but now you can’t locate it? Tracer wire systems are the most effective and accurate way to locate underground utilities, but unfortunately, too many are installed incorrectly, leaving utilities at risk for damage. Before we talk about unlocatables, it is important to know what makes a system locatable in the first place. A locatable tracer wire system requires a complete electrical circuit. Just like the […]
Near misses highlight breakdowns in the utility damage prevention process. The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) has released an “Analysis of Near Miss Events” as a supplement to its most recent DIRT Report. We have compiled some of our key takeaways in the infographic below. The full report can be found here. Remember, the first step in protecting underground utilities is installing a reliable locating system. Here are the technical requirements for proper installation of tracer […]
At Copperhead, innovation and enhancements are driven by listening to our customers and understanding the challenges they’re facing in the field. One of those challenges came to us from a customer who said that while the Cobra Hydrant Flange is a great way to keep the Cobra Access Point affixed to a fire hydrant, it doesn’t fit the hydrants in their city. The mounting flange only accommodated ¾” and 5/8” bolts, and their city’s hydrants […]
Detecting the precise location of underground utilities is critical in protecting valuable infrastructure assets and in saving lives. But did you know that installing tracer wire alone is not enough? In order to be able to pinpoint the exact location of your utility, it is crucial to understand the principles of locating and what components help carry the locate signal down the tracer wire so it can be accurately traced. Following these 5 simple steps […]
Stan Roberts & Associates, a Copperhead rep firm, assisted a large city in Texas locate their previously unlocatable services and mainline by installing ground rods and access points at all tracer wire dead ends. Troubleshooting an unlocatable tracer wire system. A Texas city water department reached out to Stan Roberts when they were struggling to locate their services and parts of their water main. A sales representative from Stan Roberts & Associates visited the city […]
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