Hydro-excavation is an advanced, non-invasive, very efficient excavation method that uses pressurized water to break the soil and to create the hole of the desired size or to move the soil on a larger area to a certain depth and vacuum to remove the slurry from the excavated area, leaving the job site clean.

Hydro-excavation is performed from special, large trucks that are fitted with a large water tank and a special, high-power installation to generate the strong vacuum needed for the daylighting services Denver projects process. The water used in the tank can be fresh water, but using fresh water is expensive and it also puts an extra burden on the natural environment, therefore many hydro-excavators today use recycled water. Recycled water is water that has been previous used during an industrial process and that has been treated to remove solid matter, such as clay and sand, contaminants, such as pesticides and other harmful substances, such as heavy metals. The wastewater is collected by specialized companies among controlled circumstances, treated with various methods, such as filtration and chemical purification, then tested to check its suitability for being used again. Hydrovac excavators then can use the recycled water to supply the water necessary for the excavation process without harming nature.