The UK’s water industry has solidified its position as the second-largest contributor to the nation’s safe digging industry, recording over 1 million underground asset searches in 2024. This represents 27.5% of the 3.9 million searches made across the UK via the Lines Search Before You Dig (LSBUD) portal, with a search placed every 6.9 seconds during the average working day. The telecoms sector remains the largest contributor, with 1.4 million searches.
The annual report, *Digging up Britain 2025*, launched this week, highlights a growing awareness among those conducting digging work about the necessity of pre-planning and checking underground assets before excavation. Planned works accounted for 78% of all enquiries submitted—the highest proportion since records began. Additionally, the number of new users registering with LSBUD’s portal has surged, with 44,273 new users in the last year—a 38.1% increase compared to four years ago.
Richard Broome, Managing Director at LSBUD, expressed optimism about the water sector’s commitment to safety. “It is great to see that for another year running, the water sector has solidified itself as the second most active industry when it comes to searching before digging,” he said. “With new users coming on board at a record rate, the safe digging community is growing, and it’s clear from our data that more and more people understand the importance of searching before they dig—it’s become an automatic step in an excavation process.”
The report also revealed a record number of companies voluntarily sharing their asset information to protect their pipes and cables, with nine new asset owners joining LSBUD’s growing list of 160 members. This ensures over 2 million kilometres of underground pipes and cables are protected. However, the water sector ranks the worst when it comes to sharing its data, with only 20% of water companies protecting their assets through LSBUD’s central system.
Broome acknowledged the water industry’s commitment to worker safety but highlighted a concerning gap in protecting underground infrastructure. “There is no doubt that the water industry is committed to the safety of its workers. Stringent measures, protocols, and policies are in place to ensure that on-site teams are safeguarded against risks when working on critical infrastructure projects. However, the industry is also facing a safety epidemic with conflicted best practices. When it comes to protecting their own vast network of underground infrastructure, water companies fall short. Our aim, and hope, is that the water sector continues to look for ways to improve, ensuring that both its people and pipelines remain protected, futureproofing the industry.”
This news underscores the water sector’s progress in adopting safe digging practices while revealing a critical area for improvement. As the industry continues to grow, the need for consistent data sharing and asset protection will be crucial in ensuring both worker and infrastructure safety. The sector must now focus on bridging this gap to maintain its position as a leader in safe digging practices.