When Stump Grinding Hits More Than Wood: Why You Need Private Locates

Don’t Grind Blind

Gas line through stump.

Stump grinding might look simple—but underground, it’s often a different story. Tree roots grow around buried infrastructure, and over time, stumps can completely envelop water lines, gas services, and even electric cables.

If you’re grinding a stump without getting private locates or public 811 locates, you’re risking property damage, utility strikes, injuries, or even fatalities—not to mention the costly cleanup or potential litigation.

Real Case: Private Locates Revealed a Gas Line Inside a Tree Stump

I recently marked a gas service running after the meter on the customer’s side, embedded directly through a tree stump—just 18 inches deep. The homeowner had no idea the gas line was there.

Had that stump been ground without a private locate, it could have easily led to a gas rupture.

Costly Mistake: No Private Locates Before Stump Grinding

Water line through stump.

A Dallas-Fort Worth homeowner hired a landscaper to re-sod the lawn and grind a stump. Days later, water started pooling in the yard. The water line had been damaged—but the landscaper never called for private or public 811 locates.

The homeowner called us when he couldn’t find the leak. We located the water line running directly through the stump and advised him to abandon the section in the stump and dig on either side to re-route it.

He tried, but the roots were too dense, so he decided to bring in a hydrovac crew to finish the job. It turned into a frustrating, expensive mess.

Hydrovac excavation of waterline within tree stump.

If I were brought in to conduct a damage investigation for this incident, 100% of the liability would fall on the landscaper. Had they obtained locates, they would have seen the water line clearly ran through the stump. Safer, lower-impact options could have been used to grind the stump below grade without damaging the line.

Bottom Line:

If you damage a line because you didn’t get locates—you’re on the hook. Don’t let stump grinding turn into a utility strike.

Always get private and public 811 locates before you dig!

If you have any comments with regards to this post or a point of view that you would like to share, please message me at grant@knowbeforeyoudig.com. Have a Safe and Wonderful Day!

Published May 21st, 2025