Utilities Management
Buried beneath the City of Vancouver's road network is a complex structure of underground sewer, water, telephone, electrical, steam and data/voice communication carrier pipes. Without these facilities, things we take for granted in everyday life, such as placing a phone call, turning on the stove, flushing the toilet and turning on the tap would not be possible. The Utilities section of Engineering Services ensures that these facilities are installed safely, the impacts of these works to the pubic are minimized, underground space is preserved for future installations and accurate location records are kept. The section also pursues the undergrounding of overhead lines.
The utilities network is a necessary component of the everyday activities of any city and needs to be managed to ensure that:
- public safety is maintained and disruption is minimized
- street space is reserved for anticipated future underground uses of the street
- accurate and detailed records of underground plant are maintained
- long term undergrounding objectives can be achieved
The utilities section of Engineering Services plays a very important role in all of these issues and will continue to do so while encouraging the public to be more aware of the utilities all around them.
Download the Utilities Design and Construction Manual (
PDF, 517kb).