Need Private Utility Locating? Here's What You Must Know
Are you about to break ground on a new project, or perhaps just planting a tree, and wondering what lies beneath? Ignoring the presence of buried utilities is a gamble that can lead to costly repairs, dangerous disruptions, and even legal repercussions.
It's a common misconception that calling 811 covers all your bases when it comes to identifying underground infrastructure. While 811, the national "Call Before You Dig" number, is crucial for marking public utilities, it often overlooks privately owned lines. These private utilities, which account for a significant majority of what's buried, can include everything from septic systems and irrigation lines to electrical wires and abandoned pipes. Thats where the expertise of specialists in private utility locating becomes indispensable, especially for homeowners and local businesses embarking on any excavation project.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Service Focus | Locating privately owned underground utilities on residential, commercial, and municipal properties. |
| Why It's Important | Prevents damage to utilities during digging, which can lead to costly repairs, service disruptions, and safety hazards. |
| Lines Typically Located | Septic systems, process sewers, abandoned lines, irrigation lines, alarm wires, electrical lines beyond the meter, gas lines on private property, water lines on private property. |
| When to Use | Before any excavation project, including:
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| Relationship to 811 | Supplements the 811 "Call Before You Dig" service, which only marks public utilities. Private utility locators handle the utilities that 811 doesn't cover. |
| Consequences of Neglecting Private Utility Locating |
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| Tools and Techniques | Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Radio Frequency (RF) locators, Electromagnetic (EM) locators, Pipe inspection cameras. |
| Typical Service Area | Local areas, often focused on specific states or regions (e.g., Vermont, Maine). |
| Finding a Locator | Search online for "private utility locator" + your location, check with local contractors, or contact your state's 811 service for referrals. |
| Additional Services Offered | Concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, leak detection, utility mapping, subsurface utility engineering (SUE). |
| Reference | Example Private Utility Locating Service |
Water Line Locators subsurfacesolutions
Improving the Mapping of Vermont’s Water Use Vermont Center for
Wastewater Systems and Potable Water Supply Program Department of
