How Utilities Can Ensure Minimized Damage Before Summer Projects Begin
As spring transitions into summer, utilities across the Midwest and Northeast are preparing for a significant increase in construction and maintenance activity. This seasonal spike brings urgency to everything from roadwork and utility upgrades to private excavation projects. While this uptick is predictable, it’s also a critical period when the risk of line strikes and service disruptions climbs sharply.
For utilities, the months ahead present a unique challenge: How can teams keep up with escalating ticket volumes while maintaining high standards for safety and accuracy? The answer lies in acting now. With proactive planning, the right technology, and better coordination, utilities can minimize damage before the first shovel hits the ground.
Why Summer Brings Higher Damage Risk
As the ground thaws and construction ramps up, there is a sharp increase in excavation activity. From public infrastructure improvements to private development projects, digging becomes a daily norm across the region. This uptick in activity naturally brings a higher risk of facility damages, especially when locate requests are delayed, miscommunicated, or missed entirely.
States like Minnesota and New York are particularly impacted. Their shorter construction seasons compress months of work into a narrow window, putting additional strain on 811 systems and field crews. With tighter timelines and more tickets to manage, the risk of disruption, service outages, and safety incidents rises significantly. The good news is that much of this risk can be reduced with proactive preparation.
Get Your Processes in Order Before the Rush
Utilities can’t afford to enter peak season without a firm grasp on their internal processes. Now is the time to:
- Review locate workflows to ensure they’re efficient, compliant, and easy to follow.
- Clarify roles and responsibilities across departments: from engineering and asset management to field operations and contractors.
- Audit current staffing and equipment levels to make sure locator teams are prepared for increased demand.
- Standardize documentation and response timelines to reduce variability and guesswork.
Early action not only protects critical infrastructure, but it also improves morale and readiness across the board.
How the Right Tools Drive Accurate, Timely Locates
Technology can make the difference between a locate that prevents damage and one that causes delay. With the right platform, utilities can automate ticket processing, assign work based on geography, and surface high-risk tickets that require extra attention. Real-time dashboards offer insights into performance, helping supervisors stay ahead of backlogs or emerging issues.
Utilities that use KorTerra’s solutions benefit from GIS-enabled routing, streamlined field communication, and robust reporting capabilities. These features make it easier to manage high volumes of tickets without compromising on accuracy or response times. When the workload increases, having reliable tools in place reduces pressure on field teams and helps prevent avoidable errors.
Damage Prevention Starts with Better Collaboration
One of the most overlooked elements of damage prevention is stakeholder communication. Safe digging depends not only on internal readiness but also on how well utilities collaborate with excavators, contractors, and municipalities. Misunderstandings about project timelines, ticket status, or marking protocols can easily lead to unnecessary risk.
By building transparent, two-way communication with frequent diggers and project partners, utilities can avoid last-minute surprises. Offering clear guidelines and access to ticket information promotes accountability on all sides. And when questions arise, having a direct line of communication allows for quick resolution before issues escalate.
Turn Past Incidents into Future Safeguards
Historical damage data offers valuable lessons. Utilities that take time to analyze past incidents can uncover patterns that lead to more informed decisions. For example, reviewing damage reports from the previous summer may reveal specific locations, asset types, or excavation partners that contributed to a higher number of incidents.
This information can be used to prioritize preventive actions, such as additional marking in high-traffic areas or refresher training for crews. By incorporating lessons from past seasons into current planning, utilities can reduce the likelihood of repeat issues and strengthen their overall damage prevention strategy.
Stay Ahead of the Surge
The busiest months of the year are right around the corner, but there’s still time to get ahead of the demand. By assessing current workflows, adopting modern tools, and strengthening communication both internally and with external partners, utilities can significantly reduce the risk of damage during peak season.
Now is the time to take a strategic approach to damage prevention. A few smart moves today can prevent service outages, safety incidents, and costly delays tomorrow. KorTerra is here to support utilities across North America with purpose-built solutions designed to improve locate performance and protect critical infrastructure. Let’s make this summer smoother, safer, and more efficient for your teams and your customers.
About KorTerra, Inc.
KorTerra is the leading provider of damage prevention software, protecting billions of dollars in underground infrastructure. For over 30 years, the leading stakeholders in gas distribution, pipeline operation, telecommunications, electric distribution, contract locating, and city, county, and state governments have trusted KorTerra as their damage prevention solution. KorTerra helps mitigate risk and ensure the safety of field personnel by providing secure software platforms for processing 811 locate tickets, tracking and reporting asset damages, meeting regulatory compliance, and more. Explore additional solutions at korterra.com and follow KorTerra on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Paige Nygaard – KorTerra, Inc.
952.368.1911
marketing@korterra.com
