How To Locate Underground Power Lines

By Julius Vandersteen, eHow Contributor


Call 811 to locate underground power lines before you do any digging.

Although we are used to seeing electrical power lines high in the air, suspended between utility poles to deliver electricity through neighborhoods and business districts, there are also power lines located underground. If you are a homeowner or a contractor working on a project that involves digging in the ground, you have to know the location of any underground power lines before you commence excavation. The consequences of not knowing and inadvertently cutting into a power line include disruption of power service, injury and death. Call authorities before doing any digging, even if you are only planting a tree or shrub.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 1
   Go to Call 811's State-Specific Information website (see Resources).
2. 2
   Locate your state in the list, and click on the link to the state's rules and regulations to find out the specific details about digging in your area. Some states will let you submit an online digging request.
3. 3
   Call "811" on your telephone from anywhere in the United States a few days before digging is scheduled. Your call will automatically be routed to your local One Call Center.
4. 4
   Tell the operator the location of the site you intend to dig and what work you or your contractor will be doing. The operator will notify local utilities that will be affected. Within a few days, a person will come out to the site and mark the location of your underground power lines. There is no charge for this service. Once you see where the power lines are marked, you can dig safely.
   
   
   Source: eHow