There are things and stuff we call indicators. There are trees that love water, water maple there and some figs for us, so they grow well in water-saturated areas. They become something like water indicators.

If that water maple seeks water then it probably has a deep root system (versus the spreading type which can be found in arid region plants). So like Tom says, it can split pipes, gas or water. Though I doubt if it it can sense pipes, unless they are leaking underground. But they do bore through to the water table.