I didn't call before digging

[tamrock]

I'm working on a 12'x12 square hole in the back yard to create a level area to expand my garden. I hit something pretty solid and noticed some plastic orange conduit. Seem I came close to severing some of the neighbors networks. I thought things underground might have a meaning to various colors, so I looked into it. Seems it's a communication line. I only put a gash in the conduit, so nothing bad happened. They'd a sent me a bill I guess had I damaged it. Why it's only 16" or so below makes no sense to me. Probably to cheap to go out and rent a Ditch Witch. Anyway this post is a reminder to be cautious when digging and know what it is if and when you do uncovered some kind of cable or pipe with a particular color.

 

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[Hbot37]

Glad youre ok!

 

[scruggs]

Good advice!

 

[tamrock]

Glad youre ok!

I'm digging by hand. I'm first digging a trench around the parameter. Then I'll till out the inside with the roto-tiller to loosen to make hand digging easier on the inside. I very well would've caused damage had I not first went around the parameter first to see if anything is intersecting with the area I'm removing.

 

[Hbot37]

I'm digging by hand. I'm first digging a trench around the parameter. Then I'll till out the inside with the roto-tiller to loosen to make hand digging easier on the inside. I very well would've caused damage had I not first went around the parameter first to see if anything is intersecting with the area I'm removing.

Very smart, and sometimes even when you call they don't get it right. When I used to do landscape installs the utility guy failed to mark an underground power line once. My guy in the excavator dug it up. He had to sit there on the machine for about 3 hours until the power company was able to get out there and shut off power. If he had tried to get off there's a chance it could've arced and that woulda been all she wrote.

 

[pepperj]

We have a 1-800 # to locate. They look at your address ask where a person is going to dig.
Verbal is OK, but never trust it.
I was putting in the main LG line. Called oh you're fine to dig.

I see the power pole, I see my meter, I see where both lines terminate in the ground.
Well OK then, we'll send someone out.

Yup the main power cable was located right in the dig.
Here it's a requirement to sand, tamp, cable, sand, tamp, caution tape, sand, fill, tamp.

I'm just just glad you didn't hit a green one it could of been a real crappy mess.

 

[BAW]

Keep in mind that the colors shown in the above chart are the spray paint colors that locators use when they mark the surface of the ground. It does mean that the pipelines or conduits will be that color when you dig them up. For an example - In my area, underground electric lines are inside gray conduits and polyethylene 60psi natural gas lines can be yellow, bright orange, pale orange or a peculiar dirty tan.

 

[SeabeeRon]

Keep in mind that the colors shown in the above chart are the spray paint colors that locators use when they mark the surface of the ground. It does mean that the pipelines or conduits will be that color when you dig them up. For an example - In my area, underground electric lines are inside gray conduits and polyethylene 60psi natural gas lines can be yellow, bright orange, pale orange or a peculiar dirty tan.

Was just going to mention that it could be a gas line. They are supposed to be deeper but grades change over time.

 

[tamrock]

Very smart, and sometimes even when you call they don't get it right. When I used to do landscape installs the utility guy failed to mark an underground power line once. My guy in the excavator dug it up. He had to sit there on the machine for about 3 hours until the power company was able to get out there and shut off power. If he had tried to get off there's a chance it could've arced and that woulda been all she wrote.

I had a new fence done about 4 years ago and the internet went out as they were digging the post holes. I went out were the guy was digging a post hole with a auger. First thing he said was it wasn't marked. It really wasn't his fault. The guy they called to locate everything failed to locate it.

 

[pepperj]

I had a new fence done about 4 years ago and the internet went out as they were digging the post holes. I went out were the guy was digging a post hole with a auger. First thing he said was it wasn't marked. It's really wasn't his fault. The guy they called to locate everything failed to locate it.

BELL Telephone just said they'd repair it if cut.
Fiber optics is a tech. splice.

 

[dognose]

for years I never called, since we live out in the country. but as the population has grown like 100% in the last 20 years and the utilities have upgraded technology, installed newer cables, I do now call.

I never had a problem and hit a line but I am sure it would be a wtf moment.

 

[tamrock]

for years I never called, since we live out in the country. but as the population has grown like 100% in the last 20 years and the utilities have upgraded technology, installed newer cables, I do now call.

I never had a problem and hit a line but I am sure it would be a wtf moment.

That's what's happened here along Colorados I-25 corridor. Growth has exploded from Ft. Collins to Pueblo and new housing developments are being layed out all around me. I'll be putting my garden on top of this cable. I'm pretty sure it's a fiber optic line. I've be raking out a bunch of rocks and before I go further I'm gonna expose just the length my raised garden will go on top of the cable. I'll cover it with all those rocks I'm raking out so if I or anyone else digs deep into the garden with a shovel, they'll hit the rocks first.