Using mechanical excavators to dig around electrical cables, communications lines, water pipes, gas services, stormwater or sewer infrastructure carries real risk. One accidental strike means shutting down operations until repairs can be carried out. Non-destructive digging (NDD, also called hydro excavation or hydro vacuum excavation), removes that risk. High-pressure water breaks up the ground, and a powerful vacuum lifts it away, exposing what’s buried without touching it.
GCW provides NDD across the Goldfields and Mid West for mine sites, industrial facilities, construction projects and commercial buildings. Our custom-built boom trucks carry high-capacity vacuum blowers and up to 4,000L of water on board, with additional trailers for remote sites that have no water supply.
Where other non-destructive digging companies dispatch from Perth, our fleet, workforce and infrastructure are already in the region.
Non-destructive digging, also called hydro excavation or hydro vacuum excavation, is a method of excavating soil without mechanical tools, using pressurised water to break up the ground and vacuum suction to remove it.
This reduces the risk of strikes and damage associated with traditional mechanical excavators, which is why non-destructive digging is the preferred method for exposing electrical and communication cables, water, gas, stormwater and sewerage assets. It also gives your team a clear view of underground services before work continues.
Buried services don’t always match plans directly. Before hydro excavation begins, we may need to confirm the location and depth of underground services. We also help companies to locate and map buried services that do not appear on plans.
GCW delivers hydro vacuum excavation in Goldfields & Mid-West for mining, industrial, commercial and residential clients. Our experienced crews use mine-spec industrial vacuum trucks with purpose-built attachments to carry out end-to-end NDD projects.
We service stormwater and sewer systems, electrical and communication cables, plumbing and gas infrastructure, mining operations and civil construction projects. Our trucks carry up to 4,000L on board, with additional trailers available for sites without a water supply.
We’re already here.
GCW has hydro excavation trucks, crews and disposal facilities permanently established in the Goldfields and Mid West. We mobilise from within the regions we service, and you always deal with a decision-maker who can schedule the work as soon as possible.
We’re already here.
Why choose GCW
GCW industrial vacuum trucks are fitted with custom-built attachments and 4,000L water tanks, delivering the power and precision needed for large-scale non-destructive digging.
Our people and equipment are permanently based in Kalgoorlie, Leonora and Geraldton. Where others dispatch a FIFO crew from Perth, we’re already here.
As a full-scope waste management partner, GCW can support with line jetting, high-pressure plant washing and liquid waste requirements, giving you one local contact.
Our crews are certified for confined space and working-at-heights tasks. We follow EPA- and DWER-approved disposal pathways with documentation for compliance and ESG reporting.
“Non-destructive digging” or NDD is the broader term for the service, while “hydro excavation” or “hydro vacuum excavation” describes the NDD method GCW uses. In other words, there is no difference between NDD and hydro excavation. NDD is the goal of exposing buried services without damaging them, and hydro vacuum excavation is how it’s done.
An operator directs a lance of controlled water pressure into the excavation area to loosen the surrounding soil. A high-capacity vacuum blower removes the loosened material (called “spoil”) and transfers it into the truck’s holding tank. This allows us to uncover a service progressively rather than digging directly towards it with mechanical equipment.
Yes. It’s the safest available method for exposing buried cables, pipes and infrastructure. Because pressurised water does the digging and no mechanical tool touches the asset, we can gradually expose live electrical, communication, gas and water services. This protects people, budgets, operational integrity and the asset itself.
All NDD work still needs to follow your site’s permit-to-dig process, available utility plans and any conditions set by the infrastructure owner.
Hydro excavation can be used for:
It suits any job where a mechanical excavator would risk striking underground infrastructure, which is a common risk on mine sites, civil works and around installed plant.
Yes, our in-region crews are trained in vacuum loading operations and hold confined space and working-at-heights certifications. For high-risk tasks, we coordinate with your team on documentation and site induction before work starts.
GCW uses industrial vacuum boom trucks with high-capacity blowers, controlled water systems and purpose-built non-destructive digging attachments. Our hydro excavation trucks carry up to 4,000L of water.
Yes, we have additional water trailers available for sites that don’t have a reliable water supply. Because our fleet is already based in Kalgoorlie, Leonora and Geraldton, remote locations across the Goldfields and Mid West are routine for us.
Our established presence in Kalgoorlie, Leonora and Geraldton means we mobilise locally in-region. We aim to be on site within 24 hours or even the same day where operationally possible. Call us to speak to a local decision-maker who can schedule the work.
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