Locates, Locates, Locates!

We interrupt your day with the following Public Service Announcement:

Call Before You Dig!

Unless you have x-ray glasses that can see whats below the grass, make that phone call.

It can save your life.

As most of you know, I've been working in Municipal Construction for a lot of years, and I can tell you first hand that too frequently underground utilities get dug up. Most of the time, unless you are directly affected by the loss of your hydro/phone/water/cable service, you wouldn't know about it.

But if a gas line gets hit...like in Milton, Ontario a while back, the whole country will find out.

And if a Fiber Optic line gets cut, the repair can start at $1 million and go up. You cant just splice that stuff back together with black tape.

So, its the end of February, and your not planning on putting in that new fence in the back or planting that tree in the front until spring.

Call now.

I work in the industry and sometimes it takes weeks to get underground utilities located. The warmer it gets, the longer it takes. Even if you aren't ready when the locates are done, they will give you a sketch of your property showing where the stuff underground is. You can re mark it with paint, or with little flags you can get at most gardening stores.

If you are hiring a Contractor to do some digging, make sure they have had the locates completed. Ask to see copies of the sketches. If they don't have them, DON'T LET THEM DIG!

"I'm putting a play structure in the middle of my back yard, there's nothing there," you say. Are you sure?

Buddy at work had a problem a few weeks ago with his electricity. It runs underground to his house. The local Utility Company came out and determined there was a break in the wire feeding his meter, and they had to dig up line.

It was through the middle of his back yard!

This guy is a do-it-yourselfer. Thank goodness he didn't go rent a Bobcat to put in his own pool.

"I'm not digging that deep." I once cut a home phone line digging up a property stake.

So, before you go rent that post hole auger from Home Depot, look at the pictures below...








This is a sign that was already installed on a right of way last year when I came along to do some surveying. After the locates were done, I nearly pooped myself. The orange paint is for communication lines. The sign missed by less than a foot. The yellow is for gas. They missed by inches! The blue marks you see indicate the water service to the building. The sign is right on top of it! These guys were lucky!

By the way, utility locates for home owners are FREE!

The utility companies pay for them because its a lot cheaper than making repairs.

DJW

Go! Call Now! Dig Later!