The Short Answer
Utility coordination is the process of aligning a project's water, sewer, storm drainage, and dry utilities (power, gas, telecom) with each other, with the building, and with existing infrastructure — while confirming that providers can actually serve the site. It includes obtaining will-serve confirmations, locating existing lines, resolving conflicts, and designing connections that meet each provider's standards. A licensed civil engineer leads this coordination on the site design.
The Utilities Being Coordinated
Wet Utilities
Water, sanitary sewer, and storm drainage are the "wet" utilities. Each has its own connection point, slope or pressure requirements, and provider standards. Sewer typically flows by gravity, so grading and pipe depth must work together. Water requires adequate pressure and fire-flow capacity.
Dry Utilities
Electric power, natural gas, and telecommunications are the "dry" utilities. Their routing, easements, and clearances from wet utilities must be planned so trenches and vaults do not conflict. Dry-utility providers often have long lead times, so early coordination matters.
Will-Serve Confirmations
A will-serve letter is a provider's confirmation that it can supply service to the site at the required capacity. Confirming service availability early prevents late surprises — such as a sewer system that lacks capacity or a water main that cannot deliver required fire flow. We help identify and request these confirmations during design.
Conflict Identification and Resolution
Sites are crowded below ground. Existing lines, new connections, foundations, and landscaping compete for the same space. Utility coordination maps existing utilities from records and locates, checks required separations, and adjusts routing to avoid conflicts. Catching conflicts on paper is far cheaper than discovering them during excavation.
Coordination With Providers and Agencies
Each utility provider and the local agency have design standards, connection permits, and inspection processes. Coordination means designing to those standards and routing submittals appropriately so approvals move forward without avoidable rejections.
When Does Utility Coordination Apply?
Utility coordination applies to essentially every site development project with new or modified service: new buildings, additions that add demand, change-of-use that increases loads, and redevelopment. Even projects reusing existing services benefit from confirming capacity. If your project connects to or modifies any utility, coordination is part of the civil scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who obtains will-serve letters?
The owner or design team requests them from providers. We help identify which confirmations are needed and support the requests with the technical information providers require.
What happens if a utility conflict is missed?
Undiscovered conflicts cause construction delays, change orders, and sometimes redesign. Thorough coordination during design reduces that risk.
Does utility coordination include the building's interior systems?
Civil utility coordination generally covers service to the building. Interior mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are designed by the MEP discipline, and we coordinate the two.