As Australia struggles through a drought and water restrictions are imposed in Melbourne for the first time in 20 years, the dangers or unverified digging are vividly illustrated in the photos here.

In early October, an excavator hit a water main at a busy Melbourne intersection causing the loss of thousands of litres of water, as well as, significant inconvenience and damage to surrounding shops.

Occurring just before the water restrictions, the incident highlighted the need for digging to be verified using technologies such as Barry Bros.' Non-Destructive Digging.

Introduced to Australia in 1999, Non Destructive Digging is the process of digging potholes using air or water with a specially designed nozzle, then vacuuming the debris into a holding tank.

This eliminates the problem of damaging buried services such as sewer lines, fibre optic and electronically cables, water and gas mains, stormwater lines, and tree roots.

"It is the only reliable way to verify the exact location of underground services," says David Maple, General Manager, Barry Bros. "Location plans obtained through programs such as 'Dial Before you Dig' are indicative, so care is still needed to find the exact location of underground services."

Loss of water is not the only problem that can result from unverified digging. Only two weeks after the Melbourne water main incident, a gas main in Thomastown, Victoria was hit causing the excavation of 20 homes and closure of a secondary school.

These incidents illustrate the serious repercussions that can occur and range from user inconvenience and financial loss to businesses, to criminal prosecution, serious injury or death.

'Non-Destructive Digging minimises the risks associated with excavation work. It also eliminates potential litigation from utility owners and their customers, which ultimately saves time and money," says David.