Council Consideration Request for Subsurface Utility Engineering
Published on June 04, 2024
District 1 Introduces Council Consideration Request for Subsurface Utility Engineering for Capital Project Efficiency
SAN ANTONIO (June 4, 2022) — Councilmember Dr. Sukh Kaur has submitted a Council Consideration Request (CCR) advocating for the City of San Antonio to include and invest in subsurface utility engineering (SUE) for future capital projects. Co-signers of the CCR include Councilmembers Phyllis Viagran (District 3), Adriana Rocha Garcia (District 4), Melissa Cabello Havrda (District 6), and Marina Alderete Gavito (District 7).
“I have seen the effects that delays in construction have on our community with multiple projects affecting our residents and our business community, and when researching root causation, the top answer I received was a lack of information on what’s underground,” stated Councilmember Kaur.
The recommendations within the CCR are based on extensive conversations with City staff, industry experts like engineers and contractors, residents and business owners. They call for increased investment in SUE methods to accurately determine the locations of underground utilities before starting capital projects. Additionally, the CCR emphasizes the need for utility companies to maintain and provide accurate “As-Built” records—detailed diagrams indicating specific locations, materials, and sizes of utilities—when requested by the City and our utility partners.
“Our community has seen many instances where the lack of utility location information has led to preventable errors like cutting a fiber line or damaging a water line. I’m proud that this CCR will support our city’s ability to complete projects effectively and efficiently, making a real difference in our residents’ quality of life and the sustainability of our business community,” Councilmember Kaur continued.
After filing the CCR with the City Clerk’s office, the next step in the process is review and recommendation by the Governance Committee.