You may have seen or heard the ads urging you to call 8-1-1 for a utility inspection before you dig on your property. This “Call Before You Dig” service is a free, nationwide resource that was designed to help property owners avoid hitting utility lines when they need to dig or excavate on their properties. Hitting a utility line can not only disrupt service to your property, but it could also result in serious injury or death to the person doing the digging or anyone else in the surrounding area.
Take, for example, this explosion that occurred in residential neighborhood in Murrieta, California in 2019. The explosion occurred after a solar company employee nicked a gas line while digging near the home. One person was killed and 15 were injured as a result. In addition, one house was completely destroyed, and the surrounding homes were seriously damaged. This situation likely could have been avoided if the person doing the excavating knew exactly where that gas line was located.
Even if you have a map of all of the buried utilities on your property, it still makes sense to have the area scanned prior to digging. But is 8-1-1 the only service you should call?
Private Utility Locators: Do You Need Them?
Some property owners would be wise to also call in a private utility locator to scan the area, in addition to the 8-1-1 service. This is because 8-1-1 only looks for public utility lines, such as those related to your electrical, water, sewer, and telecommunication services. Any other buried items are up to the property owner to locate.
Your property may have things like a septic system, propane lines, auxiliary power lines, water lines from a private well, or other buried items that you wouldn’t want to damage during the course of your construction project. Private utility locators can scan the entire area in which you want to dig and tell you where any hazards are that should be avoided. They can use non-destructive scanning technology, such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) antennas, electromagnetic frequency (EMF) transmitters and receivers, and pulse wave generators to provide you with a complete picture.
Unlike the 8-1-1 service, you will have to pay for the services of a private utility locator, but it can be well worth the money if they are able to locate buried hazards that you didn’t know about or were not aware of their exact location. Companies like Enhanced Scanning in Southern California specialize in utility locating. They have quick response times and work efficiently to keep your project moving forward. Learn more about Enhanced Scanning by visiting their website: https://enhancedscanning.com/
