What 811 covers
OKIE811 notifies the member utilities that own lines in the area, and each one marks its own facilities, typically up to the meter or the point where the line becomes private.
What 811 usually doesn't mark
- Private electric to parking lot lights, signs, gates and outbuildings.
- Water, sewer and storm lines on private property past the meter or main.
- Gas lines after the meter.
- Fiber and telecom installed by private owners.
- Irrigation, fire lines and process piping on commercial and industrial sites.
- Abandoned lines nobody claims.
When to hire a private locator
Any excavation, trenching, boring or fence and sign installation on commercial, industrial, campus or multi-building property should include private locating. It's also standard before directional boring crossings and on sites where the drawings are old or missing.
How it works
Locators use electromagnetic equipment to trace conductive lines and ground-penetrating radar to find non-metallic pipe, then mark the ground and capture the results with GPS, so you have a map as well as paint.
Questions
Is private utility locating required in Oklahoma?
Calling 811 is required. Private locating isn't usually mandated by law, but owners, GCs and insurers commonly require it, and it's the only way to find lines 811 doesn't cover.
Who is liable for hitting a private line?
Liability depends on the contracts and the circumstances, which is exactly why crews locate private lines before digging.