Call Before You Dig!

(1-800-227-2600)

I have always said that anytime you do a project that involves digging up the ground, you are bound to find treasures that are not shown on the plans.  That is exactly what happened on Elm Street last week.  The picture below shows a 2-inch lines near the intersection of Buchanan Boulevard and Elm Street.  The backhoe operator working for the contractor said he had over 30-years of experience in the construction business and he was certain these were gas lines.  City Staff notified Southwest Gas and conducted a joint meeting in the field.  The lines are not shown on the system map for Southwest Gas and that is why there were no yellow paint marks on the street before construction began.  Southwest Gas representatives are pretty sure these lines are abandoned, but caution must be taken when working around these lines until verified. 

As owner and operator of the Electric, Water and Sewer system for Boulder City, our own staff is responsible for painting the location of our utilities on the street surface, prior to construction projects.  Contractors working within the Public Right-of-Way are required to call USA North at 1-800-227-2600 at least 48-hours prior to excavation commencing.  Complete details can be found at http://www.usanorth.org/howtocall.php?user=homeowners. 

For the most part, City Staff only marks City owned utilities in the Public Right-of-Way.  For example, the water main that runs longitudinal with the street will be painted blue with a size called out.   A blue line may also be painted for the service lateral that extends from the main to the water meter, which is generally located in the sidewalk.  From the sidewalk to the house is the owner’s responsibility. 

 

For excavation work on private property, it is a great idea to review your original house plans to estimate where the utilities cross your yard from the street to your home.  If you do not have your house plans, you may be able to locate where the water service enters your home and where your meter is in the sidewalk.  This gives you two end points; however, you cannot assume the builder ran the water service in a straight line.  Dig with caution. 

As you can see from the photograph, one of the 2-inch lines is bent but not broken.  This seasoned veteran on the backhoe was digging with caution even though there were no utilities marked in the field.  When he felt some resistance, he eased off and did some hand digging to expose the utility.