Emergency digs, Corpus Christi
A line struck or leaking and needs uncovering? Make the site safe first, then send the job to independent local hydrovac operators.
A quote-request service, not a contractor. We pass your request to independent local operators who quote you directly.
Safety comes before the dig
If you smell gas or hear it escaping, leave the area, then call 911 and the gas company from a safe distance. That is general public-safety guidance, not something this site provides.
What a hydrovac can do after a strike
- Uncover a line hit by a bore, trench or excavator
- Open the ground around a leaking water or sewer line so a repair crew can work
- Expose a damaged cable or conduit
- Find the broken end of a line once the area is safe
- Clear the area around a damage so the repair crew can reach it
We pass requests to independent local operators, and each decides whether it can respond. We cannot promise 24-hour service or a response time. WhatsApp is the quickest way to reach us from a job site: send the location and what happened.
Why vacuum around damage
Gentle on a hurt line
Water loosens the soil and the vacuum lifts it out, so no bucket or shovel adds force to a line that is already damaged.
Tell the operator first
Say what struck what, whether anything is escaping, and whether the area is safe. Operators decide whether they can respond and how.
Exposing is not repairing
The line owner or its contractor does the repair. The hydrovac uncovers the line so they can reach it.
When to send a request
- After a line strikeOnce the area is safe and the line owner and Texas 811 have been told, send the job so the line can be uncovered.
- A leak under pavement or turfA repair crew needs the line open. A hydrovac can open a narrow hole near other buried lines.
- A broken line you can't findIf marks are missing or wrong, test holes find the line without more damage. See daylighting.
- Pipeline damageA damaged pipeline also has reporting duties. See pipeline exposure.
Who to call first
General guidance, not legal advice. Your utility or facility may have its own emergency numbers; use those.
| Situation | Call |
|---|---|
| Gas smell or escaping gas | Leave the area. Call 911 and the gas company from a safe distance. |
| Damaged pipeline of any kind | The excavator must notify the pipeline operator and Texas 811. |
| Downed or exposed power line | Stay well back. Call 911 and the electric utility. |
| Broken water or sewer line | The water utility, or whoever is responsible for that line, to shut it off. |
| A line needs uncovering | Send the job here, or message us on WhatsApp. |
What to have ready
Operators price faster, and closer to the final bill, when these are in the request.
- What was hit or is leaking, and exactly where: address, intersection or a map pin
- Whether the area is safe, and who has been told: 911, the gas company, the line owner, Texas 811
- Photos of the damage and the surroundings
- Your Texas 811 ticket number, if you have one
- Surface, depth if known, and access for a truck
- Who will make the repair, and when they need the line open
- A phone that will be answered
811, pipelines and permits
Pipeline damage
If a pipeline is damaged in any way, the excavator must notify the pipeline operator and Texas 811. Stop work near the damage and keep people back.
Texas 811
The usual notice is at least 48 hours before digging, not counting weekends and legal holidays. We have not confirmed how Texas treats emergency digs, so ask Texas 811 what applies in your case.
City streets
Digging in a Corpus Christi street or right-of-way can need a city permit. Ask the City of Corpus Christi which permit applies before you schedule the truck.
Plants and terminals
Facility rules sit on top of state law: orientation, safety pre-qualification, insurance certificates and work permits. The operator you hire has to meet them, so put them in the request.
Emergency questions
What do I do first if gas is escaping?
Leave the area, then call 911 and the gas company from a safe distance. Do not try to dig or stop the leak yourself. Send a hydrovac request only after the area has been made safe.
Do I have to report a damaged pipeline?
Yes. If a pipeline is damaged in any way, the excavator must notify the pipeline operator and Texas 811.
Can you guarantee a crew tonight?
No. We pass your request to independent local operators, and each decides whether it can respond. We make no promise of 24-hour service or of any response time. Use WhatsApp and say it is urgent.
Why use a hydrovac to uncover a damaged line?
Water and a vacuum remove the soil without bucket teeth or shovel blades touching a line that is already damaged, so the crew can open the area without adding to the damage.
Send the emergency job
Emergency line exposure is already picked. Add the town, what happened and a number that will be answered.
We pass your request to independent local operators who quote you directly. We don't own trucks or do the digging.