Private Utility Locating Services
Accurate underground utility locating to help contractors, engineers, and property owners dig safely, avoid costly damage, and stay on schedule.
Private utility locating is a critical step in protecting people, property, and infrastructure before excavation or construction begins. Safe Site provides professional private utility locating services to accurately identify underground utilities that are not marked by public 811 utility locate programs.
While calling 811 is an essential first step, it only identifies publicly owned utilities. Many underground lines on commercial, industrial, and private properties remain unmarked, creating serious safety and financial risks. Safe Site helps contractors, engineers, developers, and property owners reduce those risks by delivering clear, reliable information about what exists below the surface before work starts.
What Is Private Utility Locating Services?
Private utility locating is the process of identifying underground utilities that are privately owned and therefore excluded from public utility marking services. These utilities often extend beyond the public right-of-way or service connection point and may not be documented on existing plans or drawings.
Private utilities can include electrical lines serving site lighting or equipment, gas lines beyond the meter, water and sewer laterals, fire lines, irrigation systems, communication lines, and other underground infrastructure. Because these utilities are not marked by 811, professional locating is required to identify their location and depth before excavation.
Private utilities may include but are not limited to:
- Fire Mains
- Cellular sites
- Steam lines
- Sewer laterals
- Irrigation systems
- Chilled water lines
- Fuel tanks and systems
- Water tanks and systems
- Septic tanks and systems
- Storm, roof, or industrial drains
- Site lighting for parking lots, walkways
- Water mains and services on private property
- Nitrogen, oxygen, or other industrial gas lines
- Electrical, communication, fire alarm, and special systems lines
- Natural gas, or propane lines to pool heaters, BBQs or secondary buildings
Why Private Utility Locating Is Important
Reduce Safety Risks and Costly Damage
Unmarked private utilities pose a significant risk to excavation and construction projects. Striking an underground utility can result in serious injuries, service disruptions, environmental damage, costly repairs, and project delays. In some cases, damage to private utilities can also create liability for contractors and property owners.
Private utility locating helps reduce uncertainty by providing greater visibility into underground conditions. With accurate locating information, project teams can plan excavation more safely, avoid unexpected conflicts, and maintain better control over schedules and budgets.
Who needs PRIVATE UTILITY LOCATING?
Private utility locating is essential for any project involving ground disturbance. Contractors rely on accurate locating to protect crews and equipment, engineers use it to inform design decisions, and property owners depend on it to avoid damage to critical infrastructure. From small excavation projects to large commercial and industrial developments, private utility locating plays a vital role in safe and efficient construction.
Our Private Utility Locating Services
Locating Undocumented and Unknown Utilities
Safe Site provides comprehensive private utility locating services designed to identify underground utilities that are not marked by public locating programs. Our work supports safe excavation, construction, and maintenance activities by helping clients understand the existing infrastructure below the surface before digging begins. We work with contractors, engineers, facility managers, and property owners to reduce risk, prevent damage, and avoid costly project delays.
Our private utility locating services are used on commercial, industrial, municipal, and private sites where accurate information about underground utilities is critical. Whether utilities are known, undocumented, or abandoned, our goal is to provide clear, reliable locating results that allow projects to move forward with confidence.
How do you locate Non-Metallic & PVC/Plastic utilities?
Locating non-metallic and PVC utilities presents unique challenges because these materials do not conduct electricity and cannot be traced using traditional electromagnetic methods alone. Safe Site utilizes specialized locating techniques to identify plastic and non-metallic utilities, including water lines, sewer laterals, storm drains, and irrigation systems.
By applying advanced methods and adapting our approach to site conditions, we are able to trace non-metallic utilities with greater accuracy. This allows excavation teams to identify potential conflicts in advance and reduces the likelihood of damaging critical underground infrastructure that may otherwise remain undetected.
Cable Fault Location Services
Safe Site also provides cable fault location services to help identify breaks, shorts, or damage within underground electrical and communication lines. Faults in buried cables can lead to service interruptions, safety hazards, and costly troubleshooting efforts if not accurately located.
Our cable fault locating process focuses on isolating the exact location of the issue so repairs can be performed efficiently and with minimal disruption. By pinpointing faults before excavation or repair work begins, Safe Site helps clients reduce downtime, limit unnecessary digging, and restore service more quickly.
Why Choose Safe Site for Private Utility Locating?
Safe Site offers extensive locating services for private facilities, going beyond 811's coverage. We handle a variety of utilities such as electric, gas, telephone, and fiberoptic cables, as well as sewer and water lines. Our team expertly locates communication lines, irrigation wires, low voltage cables, and landscape lighting. We also specialize in identifying underground assets like sanitary sewers, storm drains, and storage tanks. Our team uses paint to mark, uncover, and create detailed maps of underground utilities, ensuring their precise location is identified.
How Our Utility Locating Process Works
Locating Undocumented and Unknown Utilities
Safe Site follows a clear, methodical utility locating process designed to reduce uncertainty and support safe excavation. Our approach focuses on understanding site conditions, identifying underground utilities accurately, and clearly communicating results so clients can make informed decisions before digging begins.
Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all method, our process adapts to each project’s scope, site conditions, and utility types. This ensures reliable results and practical information that can be used in the field.
Site Assessment
To start, our experts review available records, perform a thorough visual inspection, and plan the locating strategy for your site.
Locate Known Utilities
Then, using EM and other advanced tools, we identify all known public and private utilities, including water, sewer, gas, electrical, and communication lines.
Advanced GPR Scanning
Then we use ground-penetrating radar to ensure detection of plastic pipes, underground storage tanks, steam lines, and other objects not visible with EM alone.
Comprehensive Documentation
Finally, we take care of creating detailed maps, CAD/KML files, site sketches, photos, and optional GPR trail images — giving you full visibility and peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some frequently asked questions to help you understand our service in details.
Is private utility locating necessary if I already called 811?
Yes. Public utility locating services only mark publicly owned utilities. Private utilities remain the responsibility of the property owner and must be located separately.
How reliable are private utility locating services?
Accuracy depends on site conditions and utility types, but Safe Site uses proven technologies and trained professionals to deliver dependable results.
What happens if private utilities are not located before excavation?
Failure to locate private utilities can result in injuries, outages, project delays, and costly repairs. In some cases, it may also create legal or regulatory issues.
Can you locate non-metallic utilities?
Yes. Using ground penetrating radar (GPR), we can locate many non-metallic utilities such as PVC water lines and sewer piping.
How accurate is private utility locating?
How long does private utility locating take? How much does it cost?
Project timelines and costs vary depending on site size and complexity. Contact us to discuss scheduling and turnaround times.
Get your project started!
Request Private Utility Locating Services
Before excavation begins, make sure your site is protected. Contact Safe Site today to schedule professional private utility locating services and gain the information you need to proceed with confidence.
Request a quote or speak with a utility locating expert to discuss your project needs.