Buried utility damages hit record high in 2025, CGA reports

(UI) — Damage to buried utility infrastructure reached a record high in 2025, according to new data released by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), which found utility strikes continued to increase alongside construction activity despite ongoing damage prevention efforts. 

CGA analyzed 221,717 unique damage reports submitted through its Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT), the industry's largest database of underground utility damages across the United States and Canada. According to the organization's CGA Index—a year-over-year measure of buried utility damage trends—2025 recorded its highest score since the index was established, rising to 102 from a 2022 baseline of 100 and up eight points from 2023.

"The 2025 DIRT Data Summary & Trends underscores a serious call to action we cannot afford to ignore," said CGA President and CEO Sarah K. Magruder Lyle. "As damages to buried infrastructure continue to grow alongside construction activity, inadequate damage prevention policies are failing our communities and businesses."

Failure to notify 811 before excavation remained the leading cause of underground utility damage in 2025, continuing a trend that CGA said has changed little in recent years. The organization's analysis found the top 10 root causes accounted for 86% of all reported damages.

Telecommunications and cable facilities accounted for the largest share of reported utility strikes, representing 51% of all damages, followed by natural gas infrastructure at 36%. Electric utilities accounted for 8% of reported damages, while water and sewer infrastructure represented the remaining 5%.

Despite the national increase, CGA reported that excavators participating in its Damage Prevention Institute (DPI) reduced their rate of attributable damages by more than 11% between 2023 and 2025. Participants in the voluntary program commit to following CGA best practices, submitting monthly damage data and participating in peer reviews of their damage prevention programs.

Alongside the 2025 DIRT data, CGA also launched an expanded online Damage Prevention Dashboard that combines DIRT reporting with One Call/811 locate request data, allowing users to analyze damage trends, locate activity and state damage prevention requirements. The organization said a full State of Damage Prevention Report will be released this fall with additional analysis and recommendations.

Related News

From Archive

• Most Read
• Most Commented