UTGIS is a leading provider of municipal and utility electrical safety testing, GPS/GIS data collection/mapping and other specialized inspection services.
PUBLIC SAFETY: CONTACT VOLTAGE TESTING
While rare, urban contact voltages have in the past injured humans and pets. Typically, these events happen about once every 2-3 years. In most cities hundreds, and in some cases thousands of contact voltages, are found during routine annual surveys. The majority of these voltages are from streetlights and traffic signals but other conductive objects can become energized as well.
MANY MUNICIPALITIES MISTAKENLY ASSUME BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN NO SHOCKS OR SERIOUS INJURIES REPORTED THAT THEIR UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS SAFE- but data from the field proves this to be incorrect. It just means they have been “lucky” so far that no one has been hurt.
Of emerging importance are the effects of contact voltages on other buried infrastructure- water and gas lines. 17% of watermain breaks/leaks can be directly related to streetlight contact voltage. While no firm data exists yet, cities with the most contact voltages seem to have the highest number of gas system leaks according to information filed in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).
UTGIS developed testing protocols following the recommendations of IEEE 1695-2024™ Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing, and Mitigating Stray and Contact Voltage as well as various other standards from the water and gas industries. UTGIS is the only firm traversing between hazardously energized objects at speeds of up to 30 mph to measure AC and DC contact voltages simultaneously. UTGIS and employees have conducted citywide voltage testing in: Seattle WA Baltimore MD Rochester NY Providence RI Palmdale CA Fort Collins CO MANHOLE, UNDERGROUND AND OVERHEAD: ACOUSTIC IMAGING
Underground and overhead electrical failures often produce noise before failure. Some of this noise can be detected by human hearing but is frequently drowned out by background noise from other sources.
Acoustic imaging allows a skilled operator to pinpoint exactly where a sound is coming from by pixilating the sound and overlaying it onto a still or video image.
Analysis of the recorded frequency assists utilities in troubleshooting the actual issue/fault.
Testing follows protocols of IEEE 2417-2022™: Guide for Early Detection, Mitigation, Preventative Measures, and Response to Smoke, Fire, and Explosions in Underground Electrical Structures for identifying nascent manhole events (NME), imperceivable manhole events (IME) and perceivable manhole events (PME)
Acoustic testing on overhead distribution and transmission systems quickly pinpoints corona partial discharge locations. Too, acoustic surveys can pinpoint loose mechanical hardware connections and devices. GPS/GIS: DATA COLLECTION AND VERIFICATION
Having worked with hundreds of layers, most GIS datasets are full of errors. The two most common: 1) Multiple entries of the exact same point, line or polygon. Often, contractors are empowered to enter new data in the field (typically a point) but cannot delete incorrect data. In one instance, several contractors had entered the exact same wooden utility pole on 5 different occasions over several years because of variations in GPS coordinates their handheld collection units produced.2) Incomplete or incorrect attribute data.
UTGIS can validate this data by physical visitation to the locations in the field and make recommended corrections to the GIS team.
Unless otherwise specified, UTGIS uses ESRI GIS software and Trimble data collection units.
UTGIS is a SBA Certified Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) 1 (425) 381-2984 Copyright 2026
MANY MUNICIPALITIES MISTAKENLY ASSUME BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN NO SHOCKS OR SERIOUS INJURIES REPORTED THAT THEIR UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS SAFE- but data from the field proves this to be incorrect. It just means they have been “lucky” so far that no one has been hurt.
Of emerging importance are the effects of contact voltages on other buried infrastructure- water and gas lines. 17% of watermain breaks/leaks can be directly related to streetlight contact voltage. While no firm data exists yet, cities with the most contact voltages seem to have the highest number of gas system leaks according to information filed in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).
UTGIS developed testing protocols following the recommendations of IEEE 1695-2024™ Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing, and Mitigating Stray and Contact Voltage as well as various other standards from the water and gas industries. UTGIS is the only firm traversing between hazardously energized objects at speeds of up to 30 mph to measure AC and DC contact voltages simultaneously. UTGIS and employees have conducted citywide voltage testing in: Seattle WA Baltimore MD Rochester NY Providence RI Palmdale CA Fort Collins CO MANHOLE, UNDERGROUND AND OVERHEAD: ACOUSTIC IMAGING
Underground and overhead electrical failures often produce noise before failure. Some of this noise can be detected by human hearing but is frequently drowned out by background noise from other sources.
Acoustic imaging allows a skilled operator to pinpoint exactly where a sound is coming from by pixilating the sound and overlaying it onto a still or video image.
Analysis of the recorded frequency assists utilities in troubleshooting the actual issue/fault.
Testing follows protocols of IEEE 2417-2022™: Guide for Early Detection, Mitigation, Preventative Measures, and Response to Smoke, Fire, and Explosions in Underground Electrical Structures for identifying nascent manhole events (NME), imperceivable manhole events (IME) and perceivable manhole events (PME)
Acoustic testing on overhead distribution and transmission systems quickly pinpoints corona partial discharge locations. Too, acoustic surveys can pinpoint loose mechanical hardware connections and devices. GPS/GIS: DATA COLLECTION AND VERIFICATION
Having worked with hundreds of layers, most GIS datasets are full of errors. The two most common: 1) Multiple entries of the exact same point, line or polygon. Often, contractors are empowered to enter new data in the field (typically a point) but cannot delete incorrect data. In one instance, several contractors had entered the exact same wooden utility pole on 5 different occasions over several years because of variations in GPS coordinates their handheld collection units produced.2) Incomplete or incorrect attribute data.
UTGIS can validate this data by physical visitation to the locations in the field and make recommended corrections to the GIS team.
Unless otherwise specified, UTGIS uses ESRI GIS software and Trimble data collection units.
UTGIS is a SBA Certified Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) 1 (425) 381-2984 Copyright 2026