Hydro excavation, often referred to as daylighting, potholing, or non-destructive excavation, is a cutting-edge, highly precise method of digging that uses pressurized water and vacuum technology. Unlike traditional excavation methods that can risk damaging underground infrastructure, hydro excavation in Detroit offers a safer and more controlled alternative.
By loosening soil with water and vacuuming the debris into a containment tank, this process safely exposes buried utilities, pipelines, and infrastructure without causing harm. This makes it the ideal solution for projects in Detroit’s densely populated urban areas, where accuracy and safety are critical.
The hydro excavation process starts by spraying hot, high-pressure water into the ground, effectively breaking up soil, clay, gravel, or even frozen Michigan earth—a common challenge in Detroit during winter months. As the ground softens, a powerful vacuum extracts the slurry (a mix of soil and water) into a debris tank.
This leaves a clean, precise excavation site with minimal environmental disruption and zero damage to utilities or nearby structures—perfect for Detroit job sites where underground infrastructure is often crowded and complex.
Hydro excavation is widely used across industries in the Detroit area for its ability to safely and efficiently expose underground systems. Common applications include:
Daylighting / Potholing
Revealing underground utilities like gas lines, water mains, fiber optic cables, and electrical lines for inspection or repair—without the risk of damaging them.
Trenching
Creating narrow trenches for installing utility lines, cables, or conduits, while minimizing environmental impact and disruption to surrounding infrastructure.
Utility Hole and Pole Digging
Excavating holes for utility poles, street signs, or structural footings, ensuring that nearby infrastructure is not disturbed—essential in busy Detroit neighborhoods.
Increased Safety
Hydro excavation dramatically reduces the risk of striking utility lines—a major concern in Detroit’s aging infrastructure system. By avoiding mechanical digging near sensitive areas, the risk of costly damage or injury is minimized.
Precision & Accuracy
Detroit’s older utility systems often require careful navigation during excavation. Hydro excavation delivers pinpoint accuracy, even in tight or congested work zones.
Environmentally Friendly
This process disturbs far less soil than traditional methods, creating a cleaner worksite and reducing the environmental footprint—an important factor for eco-conscious Detroit businesses and municipalities.
Cost Savings
By reducing rework, damage, and restoration needs, hydro excavation saves money on post-project repairs. For Detroit-based utility, construction, and municipal projects, this adds up to significant long-term savings.
Minimal Site Disruption
Urban construction in Detroit can’t afford unnecessary downtime. Hydro excavation keeps job sites cleaner and reduces restoration work, keeping your project on schedule.
PROS Services provides hydro excavation to a wide variety of Detroit-area industries, including:
Construction
Contractors trust us for safe digging near utilities, prepping foundations, and working in constrained urban environments.
Utilities
Detroit utility providers rely on us to expose power lines, water mains, and sewer systems safely and efficiently.
Oil & Gas
From Detroit-area refineries to pipeline infrastructure, we deliver safe pipeline exposure and maintenance.
Telecommunications
We support telecom companies with precise trenching and line installation, helping bring fiber optic services across Metro Detroit.
Municipalities
Detroit and neighboring communities depend on our hydro excavation for water main repairs, signage installations, and infrastructure upgrades.
Industrial Facilities
From River Rouge to Hamtramck, industrial clients count on PROS Services to navigate complex facility layouts and utility systems with zero disruption.
PROS Services adheres to strict safety protocols for every hydro excavation job in Detroit. Our team is trained and certified in accordance with OSHA, MIOSHA, and EPA standards, ensuring complete regulatory compliance for every project.
We regularly update our safety programs and maintain industry certifications so you can trust that your project will be handled with the highest standards of care, precision, and compliance.
We invest in advanced hydro excavation technology to serve the unique needs of Detroit’s infrastructure. Our trucks feature high-pressure water systems, industrial-grade vacuum units, and large debris tanks capable of handling even large-scale urban projects.
Our equipment is engineered for precision and durability, including the ability to excavate frozen soil during harsh Michigan winters, allowing us to operate year-round.
Whether your site is in downtown Detroit, an industrial corridor, or a residential neighborhood, our trucks and technicians are ready to respond with the right tools for the job.
PROS Services is proud to be Detroit’s trusted hydro excavation provider, delivering safe, accurate, and cost-effective services across industries. Our deep knowledge of Detroit infrastructure, combined with state-of-the-art technology and a highly trained team, makes us the first choice for projects requiring precision and care.
Ready to schedule hydro excavation in Detroit? Contact us today to learn how PROS Services can help with your next excavation, utility exposure, or trenching project. We offer fast, reliable service across Detroit and Southeast Michigan.
Hydro excavation is the ideal solution for several excavation challenges frequently encountered across Detroit’s urban landscape and industrial zones.
Frozen Ground Conditions
Detroit winters are harsh, and frozen soil can stop traditional excavation in its tracks. PROS Services uses heated, high-pressure water systems to cut through frozen ground efficiently, ensuring your project stays on schedule—even in subzero conditions.
Congested Utility Areas
Detroit’s aging infrastructure and dense utility networks make precision digging essential. Hydro excavation allows us to safely navigate around gas lines, fiber optics, and water mains, reducing the risk of utility strikes in these congested areas.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
In and around Detroit, many sites are near the Detroit River, wetlands, or environmentally protected zones. Hydro excavation minimizes soil disruption, helping to preserve ecosystems and meet environmental permitting standards.
Tight Access Locations
From downtown Detroit construction sites to tight alleyways in residential neighborhoods, not every site can accommodate large equipment. Our hydro excavation units are compact and mobile, making them ideal for hard-to-reach Detroit job sites.
Partnering with PROS Services means working with a Michigan-based company that understands the unique challenges of excavation in Detroit’s urban and industrial environments. With decades of experience in liquid waste management and hydro excavation, our team brings unmatched professionalism, safety, and precision to every job.
What sets us apart is our deep knowledge of Detroit’s infrastructure and permitting requirements, a responsive team of trained, certified technicians, and a modern fleet of high-capacity hydro excavation trucks. We ensure full compliance with OSHA, MIOSHA, and EGLE regulations while offering personalized service for contractors, utility companies, industrial plants, and municipalities. Whether you’re digging near schools, roads, factories, or aging utility systems, PROS Services ensures your project is handled safely, cleanly, and efficiently.
Hydro excavation with PROS Services is a precision process backed by the latest equipment and extensive field experience. Here’s how we approach each Detroit job site:
We use pressurized water to gently break apart soil while avoiding mechanical impact that could damage underground infrastructure. A high-powered vacuum system immediately removes the slurry, keeping the site clean and controlled. Our technicians carefully adjust pressure and vacuum strength based on soil type, depth, and proximity to sensitive systems. Every dig is documented and executed according to safety protocols and local Detroit ordinances.
Whether we’re exposing utilities, installing poles, or trenching in tight urban spaces, our approach ensures accuracy, compliance, and minimal disruption.
While we serve clients throughout the state of Michigan, we have deep expertise working in Detroit, MI and the surrounding Metro area. This includes neighborhoods like Midtown, Corktown, the Riverfront, and industrial zones across Wayne County.
Our Detroit hydro excavation services support construction and redevelopment projects, utility repair and new infrastructure installations, industrial maintenance and site preparation, and emergency response and spill mitigation. If your project is in Detroit, Dearborn, Hamtramck, Highland Park, or anywhere nearby, PROS Services is equipped and ready to help with safe, compliant hydro excavation tailored to your location.
Ready to learn more about how PROS Services can support your next project with professional hydro excavation services in Detroit, MI? Contact us today to discuss your project and request a quote. Our team is standing by to deliver safe, efficient, and cost-effective solutions tailored to your specific site conditions.