NUAR breaks another barrier
With a new milestone reached in the sharing of underground asset data
Every day, asset owners and their supply chain contractors are responsible for installing, maintaining, operating and repairing the underground networks that keep communities connected and essential services running. Whether responding to an emergency outage or carrying out routine maintenance, having access to accurate underground asset information is critical.
A growing community of asset owners
One year after Ordnance Survey took responsibility for operating the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), more than 400 asset owners across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have added data showing the location of their underground infrastructure. The result is greater visibility of buried infrastructure, improved collaboration across industries, and safer, more efficient ways of working.
Together, these organisations have contributed information covering more than 80% of known underground infrastructure, representing over 3.2 million kilometres of underground pipes and cables.
Participation continues to grow across sectors. All electricity Distribution Network Operators and water companies have joined the service, alongside more than 70% of local authorities and 90% of highway authorities. This growing collaboration is helping organisations gain a more complete understanding of what lies beneath the ground before work begins.
Giving supply chain contractors access to the information they need
For many asset owners, ensuring their supply chain contractors have access to reliable underground asset information can be challenging. Different systems, processes and data sources can create inconsistencies and increase the risk of vital information being missed.
Today, more than 230 supply chain contractors working on behalf of asset owners access underground asset information securely through NUAR.
By providing supply chain contractors with access to this data, it helps improve consistency, supports safer working practices and assists everyone involved to have the same view of the underground environment.
Northumbrian Water Group has seen significant value from this approach. The organisation uses NUAR to provide contractors with access to the same current asset information available to its own teams, helping improve safety, awareness and operational consistency across projects.
"A key challenge we face is that not all contract partners use NWG’s internal corporate systems directly. As a result, we often lack up-to-date visibility of the resources they deploy on our behalf, and historically these partners did not receive utility drawings through our internal systems. Instead, they were required to source essential information independently, introducing the possibility of inconsistency in the safety and efficiency of work undertaken for NWG. The introduction of NUAR has significantly improved this landscape. NUAR enables NWG to grant administrative access to contract partners, who can then manage their own user base. This ensures that every individual working on NWG assets, whether directly employed or contracted, has access to the same accurate and current asset information. By equipping our partners with NUAR, we ensure they can carry out their work with the highest level of safety, awareness and operational consistency."
Supporting safer excavation
Traditional approaches often required planners to contact multiple asset owners and analyse utility plans supplied in different formats and at different scales. Bringing these datasets together into a standardised view helps planning teams identify potential hazards more quickly and with greater confidence.
At SGN, engineers use NUAR to strengthen their current safe digging practices and support the organisation's commitment to Zero Harm.
"NUAR has significantly strengthened our safe digging practices and our commitment to Zero Harm by giving teams in the field instant access to utility mapping. Its simplicity and the support from OS have allowed us to scale adoption quickly across SGN. Our engineers have spoken highly of the system, with feedback such as, ‘Having utilities in one place. It’s like the future."
Supply chain contractors are reporting similar benefits. Esh Construction, one of the largest privately owned construction businesses in the North of England, which delivers work on behalf of Northumbrian Water Group, uses NUAR daily as part of its safe excavation process. Teams use the service to be aware of hazards ahead of works and gain a clearer understanding of the environment beneath their sites.
"NUAR is a great tool. We use it every day as part of our safe excavation process. NUAR is used to identify hazards ahead of works, helping to minimise dangers for our site teams and providing access to a 24/7 live system of underground cables. I find looking at multiple paper maps at different scales and formats very tricky. With NUAR it’s a much better way to identify buried assets. I can see everything in one place on a common platform. I can switch layers on and off and receive the attribute data that I require to enable me to understand what buried assets are in the ground."
Faster Access to Information
Delays in obtaining utility information can lead to inefficiencies and raise costs.
Instead of sourcing and interpreting records from multiple organisations, users can quickly access standardised asset information in around 60 seconds. Helping them make faster, better-informed decisions.
This is particularly valuable during emergency response situations, such as outages to critical utility infrastructure. Where rapid access to accurate information can help organisations respond more effectively, while reducing risk to people, services and assets.
Working Together to Enhance Safe Excavation
NUAR is here to complement and enhance existing safe dig practises, and in June 2026, a memorandum of understanding was agreed between the Government Digital Service and online utility asset owner search service Linesearch BeforeUdig (LSBUD). This is to integrate NUAR with existing and proven safe-dig services. OS is also working with other service providers on safe digging practices.
As more asset owners contribute data and more supply chain contractors use the service to deliver work on their behalf, the value of a shared view of underground infrastructure continues to increase.
Looking Ahead
The long-term ambition for NUAR is to support safer excavation, reduce disruption and unlock economic benefits of at least £400 million a year through improved access to underground asset information.
Contact the NUAR team
Enquire today to discuss NUAR
Sharing the latest news about OS. We can license you to use OS maps in print, online and film format. For more information and resources for journalists, bloggers and media professionals, email pressoffice@os.uk or call 023 8005 5565.