Homeowner’s Guide to Utility Locates in Texas: Public vs Private Explained

Getting public and private utility locates in Texas can be confusing — especially for homeowners who aren’t sure where to start. Whether you are requesting public locates for the first time or coordinating many projects across the state, Know Before You Dig Locates LLC can help make the process easier.

Did you know utility locates are required any time you dig on your property? As a homeowner, it may surprise you to learn that you own some of the buried pipes and cables that service your home. You are responsible for maintaining them and getting utility locates before you dig.

The first step in adding an addition to your home, putting in a pool, or a new fence is to request a locate online at www.texas811.org. Public utility owners will send their locate service provider Locate Technicians to mark the services that they own (e.g. power to the meter and communication cables to the house). Each of these public utility companies have a point on private property (demarcation point) after which the utility service becomes the responsibility of the property owner. This is where Private Locators such as Know Before You Dig Locates come in! Striking privately-owned buried services can result in costly damages and potential injury. How then should you take all the precautions to ensure you dig safely?

How to prepare for your excavation:

Step 1: Login to Texas 811's website to submit a ticket. Be sure to submit your request 2 business days before breaking ground.

Step 2: Wait for public locates to be completed. They should be completed within 48-hours. If your locates do not arrive in time, contact Texas 811.

Step 3: If working on private property, go to Know Before You Dig Locates LLC website at book a locate to have us to mark any buried facilities that were not marked by the public locate service providers through Texas 811. Texas 811 provides public utility locates for Utility owners registered with Texas 811. These buried facilities exist on private property and are considered public locates. There’s a point where utility infrastructure becomes privately owned, such as:

• Water lines from the house to the meter

• Sewer lines from the house to the property line

• Gas lines from the meter to the house

• Power lines from the pole at the meter to the home,

• And any privately owned buried lines that the homeowner has installed.

These private utility lines are not marked by 811, and must be located by a private utility locating service like Know Before You Dig Locates' Private Utility Locate Service will identify all privately-owned detectable buried facilities.

Step 4: Respect the Marks.

Requesting public and private locates is only the first step when it comes to keeping you safe when excavating around buried infrastructure. Even when all locates are obtained and buried facilities are accurately marked, damages still occur from not knowing how to interpret the paperwork and respect marks on the ground.

Review your complete locate package and pay close attention to the following to ensure compliance with the law and for safety:

• Any limitations noted by the locate technician.

• The horizontal limits and depth on the locate reports.

• How long the locate is valid for.

• Understand what the tolerance distance identified on each locate report is and how to dig safely within the tolerance zone using proper hand digging techniques or vacuum excavation.

• Know the colors for each type of utility service to help identify what the marks on the ground mean.

• Know how to check the locate report(s) and visible utility appurtenances (structures) to ensure that all buried facilities have been accounted for and marked in your work area.
  

If you would like training to understand the complex utility locate process before you dig, walk with us while we work on your project and ask as many questions that you want. We want our clients to have the knowledge to dig safely by knowing what we do, how we do it and the process we go through to keep them safe. Alternatively, we strongly suggest you take the Own Your Safety's Know Before You Dig training and the Damage Prevention Council of Texas' free eLearning course: Living and Working Near Pipelines.

Want to know what a private locate really involves? Read our full Private Utility Locate Guideline to understand the process.

Learn more about our services or book a locate by clicking the button above or give us a call!

*There are many unique underground challenges and characteristics to each property. While we hope your experience is as smooth as possible, unexpected findings can delay your locates and your projects. Texas 811 is a free service offered to the public by the public utility companies that provide you gas, electricity, communication, water, and sewer services. There is no cost for you to submit a ticket on your own to Texas811.org.