The law requires you to call One Call/811 and have your public utilities marked before you dig, but they are limited to only marking what are considered to be “public utilities.”  These are the facilities owned by public utility companies – think “from the main to meter.”

Consider how much the underground infrastructure has changed, since One Call was initiated 10 years ago.  How much have many of the daily luxuries we enjoy, and likely give very little thought to, affected the way our underground utility networks really look??… Today, more than 65% of the U.S. underground infrastructure is privately owned.

At Blood Hound, we partner with the states’ One Call/811, CGA and others in our industry and we are committed to building the message that comprehensive safe digging includes PUBLIC and PRIVATE utility locating. Which begs the next important question: What’s the difference?

The differences in Public and Private Utilities

(Print or Save Graphic here: More Info)

How do system limitations leave YOU liable?

G/C, Excavator: you can be fully compliant with One Call laws and still hit and damage buried utility lines that are outside of One Call parameters.

Engineer, Land Surveyor: you can request utility records through the One Call system and still not account for all utilities present, due to legal or staffing limitations.

Facility owners: you may have your utility system damaged by in-house and third party excavators who do not know One Call parameters.

By calling 811 – which is the law - AND a Private Utility Locator you will:

  • Improve dig site safety
  • Reduced liability
  • Gain a complete record of job sites