Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to hire a private underground utility locating company?
Many times after you start to dig, you may intercept an unexpected underground utility or artifact, causing damages, a chaotic schedule, loss of utilities, and even risk of fire or other damages and injuries.
Some public utility companies may not mark lines that run from the meter onto private property or to the house. It is the owner of the private lines or the excavator’s responsibility to get the utilities marked before digging.
Types of privately owned utilities:
- high pressure gas lines
- communication lines
- private fiber optic lines
- private illumination
- fire mains and sprinklers
- leased out cable casements
- culverts
I thought by calling 811 my utilities would be located for free!
The centralized dispatch center for 811 issues an initial locate request to each public utility company on record for the property.
Unfortunately, there are no initiatives in place ensuring that all utilities are located.
I am a property owner or manager, why would I need a private locate services? Am I responsible for knowing what’s below the surface?
Property owners & property managers digging in their yards, or on a property they manage, are responsible for locating underground electric service drops and natural gas house lines on private residential or commercial property before digging.
Most residential properties opting to install a new pool, landscaping, sprinkler system or a fence will require a private locate to understand where the utilities fall in their backyards to avoid costly damages and outages in service:
- Private electrical lines
- Private gas lines
- Cable and Communications
- Sewer and Septic Tanks
- Water Wells
What types of service lines do I need to be aware of?
- A private service drop is an electric line running from a building to the energy provider’s electric distribution lines. Private service drops are the responsibility of the property owner and will not be located, identified or staked by most service providers.
- A house service line is a natural gas line running from a building to the meter. This part of the gas line is the responsibility of the property owner and will not be located, identified, or staked by most service providers.
- A gas service line leads from the meter to the service provider’s main gas lines. Gas service lines are the responsibility of the service provider and will be located, identified, and staked accordingly.
Can I tackle the public and private underground utility locates with one service?
Yes! Just call Subsurface Infrastructure Authority!
We offer a fee based service that is set up to locate all utilities, both public and private.
Once our technicians are on site they identify the utilities managed by private companies as well as the public utility lines, even the not so obvious conductive ones.
There is also direct contact with the excavator and follow up to insure that any questions about digging are resolved.
This drastically reduces the risk of damage, interruption of service, and risk of fire or injuries.
What is a public utility versus a private utility?
A public utility line is owned by a large corporation, a municipality, a water district, a cooperative, or the like. These entities are the ones who send you a statement every month for your gas, water, electric and sewer use, as well as your internet and phone service.
A private utility line doesn’t send you a statement. These are the lines that may not be marked by the locator who came out to identify the location of your public utilities. That’s because it’s yours.
The line extending from the public utility’s meter, valve, junction box, transformer, pedestal or the like belongs to the landowner whose property it crosses to provide service to the residence, barn, farmhouse, business, etc.
What do the colored paint and flags mean?
SIA 2022