Vacuum excavation. Coordinated through our Vac2U alliance.

Where physical exposure of underground services is needed — QL-A verification under AS 5488, build-over support, asset protection during civil works — Orbital coordinates non-destructive vacuum excavation through our strategic alliance partner Vac2U, South East Queensland’s leading hydro excavation specialist.

One project lead, one CAD deliverable, two specialists working together.

Why an alliance, not a single-operator service

Vacuum excavation done well is its own specialisation. It needs a fleet — multiple truck sizes for different access conditions, jet-rodding capability, vacuum-loading capacity. It needs experienced operators who can handle the equipment safely in tight spaces, near critical services, and to depth. It needs ongoing investment in plant, maintenance, safety systems and crew training.

Most utility locators don’t have any of that, so the work gets subcontracted to whichever vac truck is available. The risk and the quality control sit somewhere indeterminate.

Orbital and Vac2U have structured a deliberate alliance instead. Vac2U operates the fleet and crews. Orbital operates the spatial intelligence — locating, surveying, designating, recording, delivering CAD. When a job needs vacuum excavation, you engage Orbital; Vac2U is mobilised through us; the deliverable comes back as one coordinated package.

The client receives a single engagement and a single invoice. The job benefits from two operators at the top of their respective fields.

When vacuum excavation is the right tool

AS 5488 QL-A verification

Under AS 5488, QL-A is the highest quality level — the located service is physically exposed using non-destructive excavation, with depth and dimension confirmed. We locate to QL-B with EMF and GPR; we set the pothole positions; Vac2U exposes each service; our surveyor records the verified result. Cost-effective because the QL-A points are targeted, not sweeping.

Build-over applications

Most council build-over applications require certified depth and condition information on the services beneath the proposed structure. We pair vacuum excavation with CCTV pipe inspection (WSAA standards, Wincan reporting) so the application package goes in complete the first time.

Service exposure during civil works

On live job sites where excavators or trenchers can’t safely operate near located services, Vac2U’s hydro excavation crew exposes the asset without damage. Orbital surveys the exposed service to the design file. Excavation proceeds with confidence.

Drainage maintenance and remediation

Vacuum loading, jet rodding, and drain cleaning are part of the Vac2U scope. When that work is paired with CCTV inspection through Orbital, the client receives a complete record of what was cleared and the post-work condition of the asset.

Pothole testing for new infrastructure

New telecoms rollout, civil signpost installation, fence post hole drilling — anywhere a pothole is needed near services where strikes would be expensive, vacuum excavation with locating beforehand is the safe option.

What you receive on a coordinated job

Every Orbital × Vac2U engagement comes out with a single deliverable package. The components vary by scope; the standard inclusions are:

• Pre-excavation locate to AS 5488 QL-B — EMF, GPR or both, with marking and survey capture.
• Pothole position plan — annotated drawing showing where each QL-A point will be exposed.
• Vacuum excavation by Vac2U at agreed points — depth, diameter and material of each exposed service confirmed.
• Survey of every exposed service to GDA2020 Zone 56, by Orbital’s surveyor on site at the time of excavation.
• CAD deliverable — DWG + PDF with AS 5488 quality-level designation per feature, every QL-A point clearly flagged.
• Photo record — every pothole photographed before, during and after for the project record.
• Reinstatement to local council / asset owner standards as part of the Vac2U scope.

Vac2U fleet available through the alliance

Vac2U operates the most comprehensive hydro excavation fleet in South East Queensland. Available through our alliance:

• 3,000L – 4,000L compact vacuum units — for tight residential access, narrow rear lanes, restricted urban sites.
• 4,000L sewer jet unit — for jet-rod drain clearing combined with vacuum extraction.
• 5,000L vacuum trucks — the workhorse of the fleet for mid-sized commercial and civil work.
• 7,000L 6-inch boom vac trucks — for deeper, larger-volume excavation requirements.
• 9,000L drain cleaner units — high-pressure drain cleaning at scale.
• 10,000L Thor vacuum trucks — Vac2U’s largest unit, for major civil sites and high-volume liquid waste removal.
• Tipper trucks for spoil management on multi-day jobs.

On scoping, we recommend the right truck for the access and volume conditions of your site. Most residential and commercial jobs run on the 4,000L–5,000L units; civil and infrastructure scopes typically call for the larger Thor.

Where the Orbital × Vac2U alliance operates

Combined service area covers everywhere Orbital’s locating catchment goes and beyond:

• Brisbane metro and inner suburbs
• Gold Coast and Tweed Heads corridor
• Sunshine Coast
• Ipswich, Logan, Redlands
• Toowoomba and Western Queensland on project engagements
• Northern New South Wales — Vac2U’s southern catchment

Frequently asked questions

Is Orbital sub-contracting to Vac2U, or is this a real alliance?

It’s a deliberate strategic alliance, not casual subcontracting. Both businesses have agreed to specialise — Orbital owns the spatial intelligence work, Vac2U owns the vacuum excavation work. We coordinate jobs that need both. The client engages Orbital; we manage Vac2U’s involvement; you receive a single coordinated deliverable. Commercially you deal with Orbital end-to-end.

Can I engage Vac2U directly instead?

Yes, Vac2U accept direct engagements for excavation work that doesn’t need integrated spatial intelligence — drain cleaning, vacuum loading, civil potholing where you already have your own locator. For jobs that need both the locate and the excavation under one project plan, engaging Orbital is the more efficient route.

Is non-destructive vacuum excavation actually non-destructive?

Effectively yes, when operated correctly. The hydro excavation method uses pressurised water to break up the soil and a vacuum to remove it, exposing the service without mechanical impact. There is no shovel, no auger, no rotary cutter touching the asset. That is why councils and asset owners specify this method around critical infrastructure.

How quickly can the alliance mobilise?

For standard residential and commercial scopes in the Brisbane / Gold Coast / Sunshine Coast catchment, we can usually mobilise within 5–10 business days, often sooner. For urgent jobs we will tell you what’s possible in the first phone call. For larger civil scopes the lead time depends on which Vac2U units are required and the size of the spoil-management plan.

Do you handle reinstatement after vacuum excavation?

Yes. Vac2U’s standard pothole methodology includes spoil management, water containment and reinstatement to local council / asset owner standards. On larger scopes with multiple potholes, the reinstatement plan is set out in the quote upfront.

What’s the typical cost?

Per scope, not from a fixed price list. The variables: site access, number of potholes, depth required, soil conditions, spoil management, reinstatement. Send us a site address and a brief and we’ll come back with a fixed-price quote. For most residential and small commercial scopes, vacuum excavation is a small line item once it’s combined with locate and survey work.

Related Orbital services

• AS 5488 Subsurface Utility Engineering — the most common context for QL-A vacuum excavation
• Underground service locating — what we do before the vac truck arrives
• CCTV pipe inspection / WSAA / Wincan — paired with vacuum excavation on build-over applications
• Alliance partners — how Vac2U fits in Orbital’s broader partner stack

Send us the brief. We’ll coordinate the rest.

Whether it’s a single QL-A pothole on a Brisbane residential build or a multi-day program of vacuum excavation across a Gold Coast civil site, we’ll scope, quote and mobilise the right combination of Orbital locating, Vac2U excavation, and survey deliverable. One engagement. One deliverable. Two specialists.