If you’re planning to dig, install a fence, plant trees, trench for utilities, or start any excavation project, you’ve probably heard the phrase:
“Call 811 before you dig.”
That’s exactly what you should do.
In fact, it’s the first thing we recommend to every customer who calls us.
One of the biggest misconceptions we run into, though, is that calling Oregon 811 means every underground utility on your property will be marked. Unfortunately, that’s not how the system works.
Almost every week, we hear from homeowners, contractors, engineers, schools, municipalities, and property managers who are surprised to learn there are still underground utilities that won’t be marked through the free 811 service.
Knowing the difference between Oregon 811 and private utility locating can save you from hitting a utility, delaying your project, and paying for an expensive repair.
What Does Oregon 811 Mark?
Oregon 811 is a free public safety notification service that notifies participating utility owners when excavation is planned.
Those utility owners then mark the underground facilities they own and maintain.
That commonly includes:
- Electric
- Natural gas
- Communications
- Cable television
- Public water
- Public sewer
In many cases, those utilities are marked only to the meter or utility ownership point.
Calling 811 is always the right place to start. It’s an important part of digging safely and helps protect public infrastructure.
What Doesn’t 811 Mark?
Here’s where things can get confusing.
Many people assume that if a utility is located within an easement or right-of-way, it will automatically be marked through Oregon 811. In reality, the deciding factor is usually who owns the utility, not simply where it’s located.
For example, if your water meter is located near the street, Oregon 811 will typically mark the public water service up to that meter. The water line running from the meter to your home is generally privately owned and typically falls outside the scope of the free 811 locating service.
If your meter is mounted on the house or located farther back on the property, the utility company will often mark the public service all the way to that meter because it is still part of the utility company’s infrastructure.
Likewise, utilities located within a private utility easement may still be owned by the utility company and may also be marked through Oregon 811.
Every utility owner has slightly different practices, but understanding ownership is usually the key to knowing what Oregon 811 will and won’t locate.
Some common examples of privately owned utilities include:
- Private water service lines
- Irrigation systems
- Sprinkler mains
- Private electrical
- Landscape lighting
- Private communications and fiber
- Private sewer laterals
- Private gas lines
- Private power lines
- Septic tanks and drain fields
- Geothermal systems
- Underground propane lines
- Water features
- Unknown or abandoned utilities
If you’re digging beyond the public utility ownership point, there’s a good chance you’ll want a private utility locator before excavation begins.
Why Private Utility Locating Exists
Private utility locating isn’t a replacement for Oregon 811—it complements it.
Because these utilities are privately owned, they’re generally outside the scope of the free 811 program. That’s where companies like Hole in One Locating come in.
We use specialized equipment, advanced locating technologies, and years of field experience to help identify underground utilities on private property before excavation begins.
For many projects, calling Oregon 811 and hiring a private utility locator provides the most complete picture of what’s underground.
We Locate What Others Can’t
One of the biggest challenges in our industry is locating non-conductive utilities, such as plastic water lines that were installed without tracer wire.
A standard electromagnetic locator can’t trace a line that isn’t carrying a signal, which is why plastic water lines, irrigation systems, geothermal piping, and other non-conductive utilities often require additional locating methods.
That’s where experience—and the right equipment—makes a difference.
Depending on the project, we may use:
- Standard electromagnetic locating
- Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
- Acoustic locating
- All Materials Locator (AML) technology
- Sondes
- Digital GPS utility mapping
No single technology works for every situation.
Every property is different. Soil conditions, utility materials, depth, surrounding infrastructure, and how the utility was originally installed all affect which locating method works best.
That’s why we often combine multiple technologies to solve underground utility problems that one locating method alone may not be able to.
Our job is to use the right combination of tools to give you the best possible understanding of what’s underground before you dig.
More Than Just Utility Lines
People are often surprised by the variety of things we can locate.
In addition to underground utilities, we regularly help locate:
- Underground utility vaults
- Underground storage tanks
- Septic tanks
- Valve boxes
- Distribution boxes
- Stormwater structures
- Other buried underground infrastructure
Whether you’re investigating an older property, preparing for construction, or simply trying to understand what’s underground, our goal is to locate everything that can reasonably be found.
Experience Still Matters
Technology is an incredible tool, but it doesn’t replace experience.
With more than 16 years of underground utility locating experience throughout Oregon, we’ve worked on everything from residential water service lines to university campuses, industrial facilities, municipal infrastructure, fiber projects, and complex commercial sites.
Every locate is different.
Sometimes the answer is obvious. Other times it takes patience, multiple locating methods, and years of experience to solve the puzzle.
The equipment is important—but knowing when to switch from one technology to another is what experience brings.
We’d much rather spend a little extra time finding a utility than have someone spend the next few days repairing one.
Digital Utility Mapping
Paint markings eventually fade.
That’s why many of our clients ask us to create a permanent record while we’re already onsite.
Depending on the project, we can provide:
- Digital utility maps
- GPS utility mapping
- Utility reports
- Video walk-throughs
These records can be valuable for future construction, maintenance, property improvements, emergency repairs, and long-term planning.
When Should You Call a Private Utility Locator?
A private utility locate is worth considering if:
- You’re digging beyond the utility meter.
- Your excavation is taking place on private property.
- You need to locate plastic pipe without tracer wire.
- You’re not sure what’s underground.
- You’d like digital utility mapping for future reference.
- You simply want more confidence before excavation begins.
Many of our customers call us after contacting Oregon 811 because they discover there are still important private utilities that haven’t been marked.
The Bottom Line
Every excavation project starts with the same question:
“What’s underground?”
Oregon 811 is an essential free public safety service, and it should always be your first call before digging.
But it’s important to understand what Oregon 811 is designed to do—and what it isn’t.
If your project involves private utilities, plastic water lines, underground utility vaults, septic systems, buried tanks, or utility mapping, a professional private utility locator can provide a more complete picture of what’s underground before excavation begins.
At Hole in One Locating, we combine traditional locating methods with advanced technologies like Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), All Materials Locator (AML) technology, acoustic locating, sondes, and digital mapping to help homeowners, contractors, engineers, municipalities, and businesses better understand what’s beneath the surface.
If you’re not sure whether your project only requires Oregon 811 or would benefit from a private utility locate, give us a call. We’re always happy to answer questions and help you determine the right approach.
When it comes to digging, it’s always better to know what’s underground than to find out the hard way.