From Cables to Water Lines: What Your Utility Company Won’t Tell You

If you’ve ever tackled a project that involved digging on your property—whether it’s building a fence, installing a pool, or setting up landscape lighting—you’ve probably been told, “Call 811 before you dig!” It’s great advice, and it’s an essential step to make sure you don’t hit any major utility lines like gas, water, or electricity. But here’s what many people don’t realize: those public locates won’t cover everything buried under your property.

I’ve seen it happen more than once. A friend was putting in a new patio and thought they had everything under control after calling 811. The major lines were marked, but halfway through digging, they hit a buried irrigation line they didn’t know existed. Not only did it flood the yard, but it delayed the project for days—and cost hundreds of dollars to repair. It’s a hard lesson, but an important one: not everything underground will be marked by your utility company.

In this article, we’ll dive into what your utility company won’t tell you, the risks of hidden private utilities, and how hiring a private locator can help you avoid costly mistakes.

What Utility Companies Do (and Don’t) Cover

When you call 811, the public utility companies come out to mark the lines they own and maintain. This typically includes gas lines, water mains, sewer lines, electricity cables, and public telecom lines.

However, their responsibility stops at the meter, property line, or access point. Anything on the private side of your property—like the line feeding a pool heater or the wiring to a shed—won’t be marked. These unmarked lines are considered private utilities and fall under your responsibility.

What Does That Mean for You?

Public utilities only tell half the story. If your property has things like outdoor kitchens, garden lighting, private gas pipes, or irrigation systems, these won’t show up in public locates. And if you hit one of those unmarked lines during your project, the repair bill will be yours to pay.

Hidden Utilities That Could Be on Your Property

Many private utilities are installed after the home is built, making them easy to overlook. Things like water lines running to guesthouses, pools, or sprinkler systems and underground gas lines feeding outdoor kitchens, fire pits, or pool heaters. Electrical wires supplying power to detached garages, sheds, or landscape lighting can create big problems if you accidentally dig one up. You can't forget about some of the most important lines though and that's the telecommunication lines like the phone lines and fiber optic cables that keep you connected to the outside world!

These hidden utilities can remain undocumented, especially if the previous homeowner installed them. You won’t know they’re there, until you hit them.

Why Utility Companies Don’t Mark Private Lines

Many people assume the utility company will mark everything on their property, but that’s not the case. Public utility companies have jurisdiction limits and are only responsible for lines they own. Anything beyond their meters or service points are considered private.

Marking private utilities comes with risks, misidentifying or missing lines could leave them liable for damages and utility companies don't want to take that risk. In most ares, local regulations place the burden of locating private lines on the property owner. That's where private utility locators come in.

The Risks of Unmarked Utilities

Ignoring private utilities isn’t just an inconvenience, it can be dangerous and expensive.

Safety Hazards

Hitting a private gas line could trigger a leak or explosion. Similarly, cutting electrical cables poses serious risks, including electrocution or property-wide outages.

Project Delays and Costly Repairs

Imagine severing an irrigation pipe mid-project. Not only will it flood the area and delay work, but you’ll also have to foot the repair bill—since public utility companies aren’t responsible for private lines.

Service Interruptions

Hitting a communication line might cut off phone or internet service for both you and your neighbors. One homeowner I know accidentally hit a fiber optic cable while digging a new mailbox post. The result? No internet for half the block—and a repair bill that left them wishing they had called a private locator.

How Private Locators Fill the Gaps

Hiring a private utility locator ensures that every underground line—both public and private—is accounted for. Private locators use advanced equipment to detect all types of utilities, including:

• Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR): Great for finding non-metallic utilities like PVC pipes.
• Electromagnetic Locators: Used to detect buried cables and metal pipelines.

Private locators will also provide detailed site maps, so you know exactly where every utility is located before you start digging.

When You Should Call a Private Locator

Certain projects come with a higher risk of encountering unmarked utilities. Here’s when you should definitely schedule a private locate:

• Building pools, fences, or patios
• Installing irrigation systems or outdoor lighting
• Adding outbuildings like sheds or garages
• Renovating older homes with undocumented lines

It’s also a good idea to call a private locator if you’ve just moved into a new home and aren’t sure what’s buried on the property.

What to Expect When You Hire a Private Locator

A private locating service is quick, thorough, and well worth the peace of mind. Here’s how the process usually works:

Initial Assessment

The locator will walk your property to identify high-risk areas.

Scanning with Specialized Equipment

Using tools like GPR and electromagnetic locators, they’ll detect both public and private utilities.

Detailed Report

You’ll receive a marked map showing the exact locations of all utilities, so there are no surprises when you dig.

Don’t Dig Blind, Know What’s Beneath Your Feet

Public utility locates are an important step, but they’re only part of the picture. For any project involving digging on your property, hiring a private locator can save you from accidents, costly repairs, and project delays.

Take the extra step to protect your property, your budget, and your safety. Before you dig, schedule a private locate and make sure you know everything that’s buried beneath your feet. JLP Tech can help you map out everything on your property so you never have to worry about it again!