Now Serving Southern & Central California

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S
SUBSURFACE SPECIALISTS

Non-destructive hydrovacuum excavation, ground penetrating radar, and subsurface utility solutions. Backed by 35 years of heavy civil expertise and a fleet purpose-built for California's underground infrastructure.

Zero OSHA Recordables
MBE Certified
ISNetworld "A" Rated
Request a Quote Why Hydrovac?

26+

Hydrovac Trucks

6

Full-Time GPR Crews

24/7

Emergency Response

35+

Years in Heavy Civil

What We Do

Core Service Lines

01

Hydrovacuum Excavation

Non-destructive excavation using pressurized water and industrial vacuum to safely expose underground utilities without risk of damage.

02

Ground Penetrating Radar

Advanced subsurface scanning that maps underground utilities, voids, and structures before excavation begins, preventing costly strikes.

03

Horizontal Directional Drilling

Trenchless installation of underground pipelines, conduits, and cables without surface disruption. Ideal for road crossings and congested corridors.

Our Equipment

Purpose-Built Fleet

GSSS Vacall

Vacall AllExcavate

GSSS VT001

Vactor HXX | VT001

GSSS Kenworth

Vacall AllExcavate | Kenworth T880

26+

Hydrovac Trucks

6

GPR Crews

0

OSHA Recordables

24/7

Dispatch

Get Started

Ready to Dig Smarter?

Whether you need a single pothole or a full GPR survey program, we are ready to mobilize.

Request a Quote
The Smarter Dig

WHY HYDROVAC EXCAVATION IS REPLACING BACKHOES ACROSS CALIFORNIA

Every year, thousands of underground utility strikes cause injuries, service outages, project delays, and millions in repair costs across California. Most happen the same way: a backhoe or trencher tears through a line that was unmarked, mismarked, or closer to the surface than expected. Hydrovac excavation eliminates that risk entirely.

HOW IT WORKS

Instead of steel teeth cutting blindly through soil, pressurized water loosens the earth while an industrial vacuum removes it into a debris tank mounted on the truck. The result is a precise, surgical excavation that exposes underground utilities without ever making mechanical contact.

The operator controls a handheld wand that directs a concentrated stream of heated or ambient water at the excavation point. As soil is loosened, a powerful vacuum (typically 5,000+ CFM) simultaneously extracts the slurry into the truck's debris body. When the hole is complete, the spoils are hauled off-site or returned as backfill.

For utility owners, general contractors, and public agencies operating in California's dense urban corridors, hydrovac is no longer a nice-to-have. It is the standard of care.

Hydrovac ExcavationMechanical Excavation
Non-destructive, zero contact with utilitiesHigh risk of utility strikes and line damage
Precise, surgical cuts in tight spacesWide trenches, excessive soil disturbance
Minimal surface restoration requiredExtensive pavement and landscape repair
One truck, one operator, one mobilizationMultiple machines, larger crew footprint
Safe in all soil conditions including rocky groundRocky or clay soils slow production significantly
Meets OSHA and CA subsurface safety requirementsHigher exposure to OSHA excavation violations

93%

Of Utility Strikes Are Preventable

$450K

Avg. Cost of Major Gas Line Strike

10x

Faster Than Hand Digging

The Advantages

Why Contractors and Utilities Specify Hydrovac

Faster Than Hand Digging

California's excavation safety orders (Cal/OSHA Title 8, Section 1541) require hand exposure within the tolerance zone of marked utilities. Hydrovac satisfies this requirement at 5 to 10 times the speed of manual labor, keeping your project on schedule without compromising compliance.

Eliminates Utility Strike Liability

A single utility strike on an SCE or SoCalGas line can trigger six-figure repair bills, regulatory investigation, and project shutdowns. Hydrovac removes that risk from the equation by never making mechanical contact with buried infrastructure.

Works Where Backhoes Cannot

Congested rights-of-way, active roadways, landscaped areas, parking lots, and spaces adjacent to structures. The hydrovac wand reaches into locations no bucket can access, and the truck can operate from up to 600 feet away from the excavation point.

Preferred by California IOUs

Southern California Edison, SoCalGas, Southwest Gas, and AT&T all require or prefer non-destructive excavation methods near their infrastructure. Specifying hydrovac satisfies utility owner requirements and accelerates permit approvals.

Pairs with GPR for Complete Visibility

Ground penetrating radar scans the subsurface before the first drop of water hits the ground. GSSS provides both services on a single mobilization: GPR maps what is below, hydrovac exposes it safely. No second contractor, no scheduling gaps.

Reduces Environmental Impact

Smaller excavation footprint means less spoil to haul, less pavement to restore, and less disruption to surrounding landscape. In environmentally sensitive areas, hydrovac is often the only excavation method that receives agency approval.

Our Capabilities

Services

Three specialized capabilities that keep your project safe, on schedule, and compliant with California's underground utility protection standards.

Hydrovac in action
Service 01

Hydrovacuum Excavation

Non-destructive excavation using pressurized water and industrial vacuum to safely expose underground utilities and infrastructure. Our Vacall AllExcavate and Vactor HXX units deliver precision digging in any soil condition, from sandy loam to caliche-heavy desert ground.

  • Potholing & Daylighting
  • Slot Trenching
  • Debris Removal & Cleanup
  • Emergency Utility Exposure
  • Utility Pole & Piling Holes
  • Pipeline & Conduit Excavation
  • Shoring & Caisson Support
  • Tank Cleanouts
GPR scanning
Service 02

Ground Penetrating Radar

Our 6 full-time GPR crews run GSSI StructureScan and Sensors & Software units to deliver subsurface intelligence before any excavation begins. We map what is below the surface so your team can dig with confidence.

  • Private Utility Locating (SUE)
  • Pre-Construction Surveys
  • Concrete Scanning
  • Void & Anomaly Detection
  • Depth Mapping & Verification
  • USA Compliance Support
  • Post-Tension Cable Locating
  • Rebar & Conduit Mapping
HDD operations
Service 03

Horizontal Directional Drilling

Trenchless technology for installing underground pipelines, conduits, and cables without surface disruption. Our HDD capability allows GSSS to offer a complete subsurface package: locate, expose, and install.

  • Utility Conduit Installation
  • Road & Highway Crossings
  • Fiber Optic & Telecom Routing
  • Water & Sewer Line Install
  • Pilot Bore & Reaming
  • Bore Planning & Engineering
Industries Served

Built for Every Sector

Electric Utilities

Gas Utilities

Telecommunications

General Contractors

Municipal & Public Works

Oil & Gas

Transportation & Rail

Renewable Energy

About GSSS

Built Different. Built to Dig.

Golden State Subsurface Solutions combines the agility of a focused specialty contractor with the depth and resources of a nine-entity construction enterprise.

GSSS Fleet

WHY GOLDEN STATE

We bring utility-grade equipment, trained operators, and the backing of a company that has been building Southern California's infrastructure since 1991. Every truck in our fleet is GSSS-owned. Every operator is trained through our corporate safety program.

Zero OSHA Recordables

Since inception. Full-time safety staff, daily JHA briefings, and a corporate safety program refined across thousands of utility projects.

MBE & Native American Owned

Certified minority business enterprise. GSSS fulfills MBE/DBE participation goals for utility and public works contracts.

24/7 Emergency Response

Utility strikes and critical infrastructure events do not wait. Our dispatch is staffed around the clock.

LiUNA Signatory

Union-trained operators through Laborers' International Union of North America.

Our Team

Leadership

Hal Hays

Hal Hays

Founder

45+ years of industry experience. California Small Business Person of the Year.

Kirby Hays

Kirby Hays

CEO & President

Third-generation builder. 20+ years leading heavy civil and utility projects. 1,500+ projects completed.

Ashley Salvino

Ashley Salvino

General Manager

13+ years in subsurface utility and hydrovac operations. Prev. Regional VP at Certerra/C Below.

Karun Mani

Karun Mani

Operations Manager

MS Civil Engineering, USC. Strategic planning and operational execution across all Hays Group entities.

Jerry Neuman

Jerry Neuman

General Superintendent

Field operations, resource management, and crew oversight. OSHA 30-hr, EM 385-1-1 certified.

Client Feedback

What Our Clients Say

We needed 40 potholes completed in a live SCE right-of-way with a two-week window. GSSS mobilized the next morning and finished ahead of schedule with zero incidents. Their crews understand utility protocols better than most subs we work with.

Project ManagerRegional Utility Contractor, Southern California

Their GPR team identified a previously unmapped fiber conduit six inches from our planned bore path. That one scan saved us from what would have been a very expensive and very public service outage.

Senior EngineerNational Civil Contractor, Inland Empire

Responsive, professional, and they always show up with the right equipment. We have used them on everything from emergency gas line exposures to large-scale potholing programs. They are our first call for non-destructive excavation work in SoCal.

Construction ManagerIOU Utility Program, Los Angeles Basin
Part of Something Bigger

A HAYS GROUP COMPANY

Golden State Subsurface Solutions is part of The Hays Group, a family-owned construction enterprise founded in Riverside, California in 1991. Our sister companies span heavy civil, commercial general contracting, electrical, traffic control, utility services, equipment, and transportation.

Hal Hays ConstructionCal Pacific ConstructorsBEC ElectricalStraight Arrow TrafficSafe-Ex Utility ServicesGolden Bear EquipmentHeritage TransportationHays Ranches
Do Business With Us

Let's Build Something Together

Whether you need a single pothole or a multi-phase GPR survey program, our team is ready to mobilize. Fill out the form and we will be in touch within one business day.

Contact Information

Reach us directly by phone or email, or submit an inquiry through the form.

Headquarters

4181 Latham Street
Riverside, CA 92501

Hours

24/7 Emergency Response
Office: Mon-Fri 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM

MBE Certified Native American Owned ISNetworld A-Rated LiUNA Signatory CSLB Licensed (Pending)

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