Hydro-excavation is also known as hydro-digging, hydro-trenching, vacuum evacuation, or soft digging. The destructive processes of this method combine pressurized water and a high flow of moving air to simultaneously excavate and evacuate native soils at a controlled rate. During the course of a typical hydro-excavation operation, the soil and water slurry is conveyed via an 8-inch tube to a truck-mounted debris tank. The control of the flow water stream permits a remarkable amount of accuracy in operations. Because only material necessary for repair or inspection needs to be removed, hydro-excavation may be a perfect fit—especially when compared with the large, less-than-accurate excavator or backhoe buckets traditionally used. This is a valuable tool as utility, gas, and phone companies are pushing more and more for the use of hydro-excavation. It means fewer repairs for them and often less major disasters.