KueselKuesel
Service · Site Utilities

Site & Underground Utility Contractor — St. Louis

Kuesel is a St. Louis site utility contractor that self-performs water mains, sanitary and storm sewer, force mains, fire lines, and electrical and telecom conduit for commercial, industrial and municipal sites.

One crew for the underground package — water, sewer, storm, fire and conduit — scheduled with the earthwork and grading on the same site. Bids confirmed within 1 business day.

Request a Bid (636) 978-3478
Utility trench with stone bedding ready for pipe
  • MSD vendor
  • PWSD prequalified
  • ASTM C76, C443, F477, D3034, F679 cited
  • Union: IUOE 513 · UA 562 · LIUNA
  • Since 1963
  • 1 business day bid response
What we self-perform

Water Mains & Services

We install water mains, valves, hydrants and domestic water services from the main to the building. Most of this work is for general contractors and developers on new commercial and industrial sites, built to the standards of the water provider that will own the main.

Before a new main goes into service it is pressure tested, flushed and disinfected, and it passes the water provider's sampling requirements. We schedule that testing with the provider's inspector so the line is ready when the building needs water. See also our water & sewer page.

Sanitary Sewer

We build gravity sanitary sewer mains, manholes and building laterals, including deep sewer where grades require it. Typical owners are developers and GCs on new sites and municipalities and sewer districts on extensions and replacements.

Sanitary lines are inspected and tested to the sewer owner's specifications before acceptance, which commonly includes line testing, manhole testing and a video inspection of the pipe. We set grade with lasers and GPS so the line passes the first time.

Storm Sewer & Detention

We install storm sewer pipe, inlets, junction boxes, headwalls and outlet structures, and build detention basins, underground detention systems and bioretention. Stormwater work is usually reviewed by the local agency — in St. Louis City and most of St. Louis County that is MSD.

Storm structures and detention are often built early so they can serve as sediment control during construction. See our bioretention basins and MSD work pages.

Force Mains

Where a site can't drain to a gravity sewer, wastewater is pumped through a force main to the nearest gravity line. We install force mains, the valves and fittings along them, and the connections at both ends.

Force mains are pressure tested before they go into service, to the owner's specifications. We coordinate the tie-in with the sewer owner so the connection is made with as little disruption as possible.

Fire Lines

We install fire protection water services — the underground line from the water main to the building's fire riser — along with fire hydrants and valves. These lines serve commercial buildings, warehouses and industrial facilities and are coordinated with the fire sprinkler contractor at the building.

Fire lines are flushed and hydrostatically tested before the riser connection, and the test is commonly witnessed by the local fire authority or water provider. We plan the line, the test and the hand-off point with the sprinkler contractor so the building's fire protection isn't held up.

Electrical & Telecom Conduit / Duct Bank

We install underground electrical and telecom conduit, including concrete-encased duct banks, handholes and pull boxes. On data center and industrial sites, duct bank is often one of the largest underground scopes, and it has to be coordinated with every other utility in the ground.

Conduit runs are typically proved clear before backfill and left with pull strings for the electrical contractor. Our work on mission critical sites includes generator yard duct banks and hardstands.

Utility Trenching for Electrical & Plumbing Contractors

Electrical and plumbing contractors call us to dig all the time. We excavate, shore, bed and backfill trenches for their conduit, pipe and services, so their crews can focus on their own installation instead of running excavators.

We bring the equipment, the trench protection and the compaction, and we work to their schedule. As an underground utility contractor, we're a natural fit for MEP subcontractors: if you have underground work, send us the scope.

Hydrovac Potholing & Locating

Before digging near existing lines, we expose them with hydrovac potholing through our GreenFlow Solutions hydrovac division. Vacuum excavation uses water and suction instead of a bucket, so crews can confirm the location and depth of existing utilities without damaging them.

Potholing is used to verify utility conflicts during design and before construction crossings. See our hydrovac services. All excavation starts with a locate request through Missouri One Call or JULIE in Illinois.

Trenching Safety & Shoring

Every trench we open is protected according to OSHA excavation standards, using trench boxes, shoring or sloping as the depth and soil require. A competent person inspects excavations, and spoil, ladders and access are set to keep crews safe.

Deep utility trenches, poor soils and rock all affect how a trench is protected and how fast it can move. We account for that in the bid rather than discovering it in the field. Trenchless crossings and directional drilling are coordinated through partner contractors.

Who we work with

Built for the people who own the schedule.

  • General contractors

    One sub for the whole underground package, tied into the site schedule.

  • Developers

    Utility routes and depths reviewed early, so budgets hold.

  • MEP subcontractors

    Trenching, bedding and backfill for electrical and plumbing crews.

  • Municipalities

    Water, sewer and storm work built to the owner's standards.

  • Industrial & data center owners

    Duct banks, fire lines and process utilities on tight schedules.

Data center or industrial site? See our mission critical sitework.

Recent utility work

  • St. Louis County, MO

    Data Center Site Development

    Site utilities for a data center campus: more than 3,600 LF of storm with three bio-retention ponds, 30" PE sanitary sewer and an 8" C900 water main, plus a fire line.

    View project

  • Fenton, MO

    Freight Terminal Expansion

    Utility package for a freight terminal building addition: more than 2,400 LF of storm sewer, two underground detention systems, sanitary and a new water main.

    View project

  • Columbia, MO

    Interstate Utility Relocations

    Utilities hydro-excavated first, then 745 LF of 8" sanitary relocated and about 400 LF of water main moved with a live tie-in for an interstate widening.

    View project

  • Crestwood, MO

    Convenience Store & Fuel Station

    About 1,360 LF of storm, eight manholes, two hydrodynamic separators and underground detention, with a 6" sanitary service and domestic water for a convenience store and fuel station.

    View project

  • Troy, MO

    Multi-Building Residential Development

    Utilities for a multi-building residential community: more than 2,500 LF of storm sewer, a sanitary system with eight manholes and about 1,500 LF of water main.

    View project

  • St. Louis, MO

    Institutional Building Basement & Utilities

    Site utilities for a new institutional building, with hydro excavation near existing lines: storm, an underground detention system, sanitary, water and fire.

    View project
FAQ

Site utility questions.

Who installs site utilities for commercial projects in St. Louis?
Kuesel installs site utilities for commercial, industrial and municipal projects in St. Louis. From our base in O'Fallon, MO, our own crews self-perform water mains and services, sanitary and storm sewer, detention, force mains, fire lines, and electrical and telecom conduit and duct bank. Kuesel is an MSD vendor, PWSD prequalified, and has built sites since 1963.
What does a site utility contractor do?
A site utility contractor installs the underground systems that connect a building to public services: water mains and services, sanitary and storm sewer, detention, force mains, fire lines, and electrical and telecom conduit and duct bank. Kuesel self-performs all of these with its own crews across St. Louis and the surrounding region.
Are you an underground utility contractor that self-performs the work?
Yes. Kuesel self-performs water mains and services, sanitary sewer, storm sewer and detention, force mains, fire lines, manholes and structures, and electrical and telecom conduit and duct bank with our own crews and equipment. Trenchless and directional drilling are coordinated through partners.
Do you dig for electrical and plumbing contractors?
Yes, all the time. We excavate, shore, bed and backfill trenches for electrical and plumbing contractors so their crews can focus on their installation.
What areas do you serve?
We're based at 854 Lone Star Drive in O'Fallon, MO and work across St. Louis, St. Charles County and the greater St. Louis metro, including the Illinois Metro East.
How fast do you turn around bids?
We confirm whether we're bidding within 1 business day. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:00 PM.
Where we work

Site utilities across the region.

Have an underground package to price?

Request a Bid Water & Sewer Hydrovac