What is the Difference Between Miss Utility Versus that of the Private Utility Locating Contractor?

With a few exceptions, the marking of all utilities is required under law prior to excavation. For excavators, contractors, and property owners, Miss Utility of Virginia is a free service. Miss Utility’s responsibility is to contact participating utility companies to inform them of impending excavation. This allows them to locate and mark the horizontal location of their underground utility/facility in advance of any ground disturbance to minimize the chance of damage to the utility that might result in personal injury and/or disruption in service. In many cases, this service is adequate to not only meet the letter of the law, but to safely excavate around existing utilities.

Some examples of private utilities that Miss Utility will not mark are:

• Electric lines to a detached garage or lamp     
• Home security systems
• Underground sprinkler systems                                   
• Walkway lights connected by subsurface cables
• Subsurface pool utilities                                             
• Military and government owned utilities
• Campus utilities for universities, hospitals, etc.
• Large housing development utility systems
• Propane and other home gas appliances

In many instances, it is necessary to know the exact horizontal and vertical location of an underground utility. The utility companies that participate in the Miss Utility program do not provide this service. The reputable private utility locating contractor has the equipment and personnel to safely excavate down to and around the underground utility without damaging that utility. The work can be performed either with air vacuum equipment or by carefully hand digging. Once exposed, the horizontal and vertical location can be obtained prior to backfilling. Having existing utilities located and/or designated prior to design of new utilities will minimize the chance of conflicts at the construction phase  as well as minimizing the additional costs associated with redesign and construction delays.    

Subsurface utility locating is a fundamental and necessary part of safe and efficient excavating. When Miss Utility cannot provide complete utility designating services, call a private utility locating contractor to help ensure a successfully completed project.

Did you Know?

Several State and Federal Government studies have determined that Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) saves between $4.62 - $22.21 per $1.00 spent; AND, on average, SUE  totals 0.6% of project budgets.