The big question we often hear is, “How do I know if I need more than just a public locate?”

Calling 811 for a locate should always be your first step. But if you own or manage property, there is a fairly good chance that you also need a private locate to identify and mark the underground utilities and structures that will not be located by 811. In fact, private underground utility lines make up 65% of the underground utility lines in the United States. Private utility lines are the utility lines on the private side of any meters, transformers, junction boxes or private connection points on a site that are the responsibility of the customer.

Identifying them isn’t always easy.

Do You Need a Private Locate?

Here are some things that may alert you that you need to go beyond 811 and call a private locator like Blood Hound:

  • Electrical: Parking lot lights, electric meter attached to pole, conduits on buildings without a meter, landscape lighting
  • Water: PIV valves or different colored fire hydrants
  • Gas: External generators or situations where gas line runs back into ground after the meter

Remember, having a private utility locate performed does not replace having a public utility locate performed—instead, it supplements the required public locates to ensure the most accurate data is available about the sites underground utility infrastructure prior any excavation activity taking place.