As a homeowner, if you are going to put a shovel in the ground to plant a tree, build a deck, or accomplish some other home project, it is critical to know what is below. Call 811 from anywhere in the country a few work days before you dig, and a locator will show up at your home to locate underground lines, pipes, and cables to help you know where you can dig safely. However, according to Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators (JULIE), 811 locators do not locate privately installed facilities. To find those, you will need to hire a private locator.
Some examples of private facilities are:
- Gas piping to a garage or out building.
- Gas grills and pool heaters.
- Private water systems.
- Underground sprinkler systems.
- Customer owned electric lines.
- Invisible fences.
- Data communication systems.
If you do not know what facilities are on the property, look for clues to tell you what might be under ground, like: a propane storage tank, gas meters, a detached garage or outbuilding with lights, a grill or pool on the property, manhole lids, storm drains, and pavement patches. If you have called 811 to have facilities located but suspect that there are additional buried facilities where you need to dig, do not put a shovel in the ground until you get a private contractor to locate the lines.
If you are installing underground facilities, be sure to keep a detailed drawing of where the lines are placed. Pass this information on to subsequent owners of the property, so they will also know what’s below.
It is important to have utilities located before each digging project. The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects, and uneven surfaces. Even when digging only a few inches, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.
Always respect the utility markings, and dig with care. For more information on safe digging, visit SafeElectricity.org.
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