CGA report shows utility damage rates climbing, calls for stronger enforcement
(UI) — Damages to buried utilities remain stubbornly high, according to the Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) 2024 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report. The annual analysis, which reviewed nearly 197,000 reports, found the CGA Index climbed from 94.0 in 2023 to 96.7 in 2024 — a sign the industry is not making progress toward reducing risks.
“The 2024 DIRT Report makes it clear: Incremental change is not enough,” said CGA President and CEO Sarah K. Magruder Lyle. “We know what works—effective, balanced enforcement, accurate mapping and timely locates—but without coordinated investment and accountability across all stakeholders, damages will continue to rise alongside ever-increasing construction activity.”
According to the report, 85% of damages were tied to 10 recurring causes, most involving utility work in the water, sewer and telecommunications sectors. The leading factors were:
- Failure to notify 811 (24.54%)
- Excavator failed to maintain clearance after verifying marks (16.07%)
- Facility not marked due to locator error (11.94%)
- Marked inaccurately due to locator error (8.58%)
- Improper excavation practice not listed elsewhere (6.75%)
- Excavator dug prior to verifying marks by potholing (4.94%)
- Facility not marked due to no response from operator/contract locator (4.71%)
- Excavator failed to shore excavation/support facilities (3.27%)
- Marks faded, lost or not maintained (2.17%)
- Facility not marked due to incorrect facility record/map (2.16%)
The report also flagged late locate responses as a critical problem. Excavators faced a 38% chance of delays due to incomplete responses from operators, undermining confidence in the 811 system.
CGA urged the industry to adopt enforceable standards, sector-specific training and better mapping tools. “The solutions are in front of us,” said Louis Panzer, Executive Director of North Carolina 811. “What’s needed now is the will to implement them at scale, across every sector and with consistent accountability.”
The full report and interactive dashboard are available at dirt.commongroundalliance.com.
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