Underground Utility Installation Questions

Texas law requires a call to 811 before digging deeper than 16 inches, and the locate request must be filed at least two business days before excavation starts. The 811 tolerance zone is 18 inches on either side of any marked line. Private on-lot lines are not covered by the public locate and must be traced separately.

Often yes. Where the route crosses a driveway, patio, or planted area, directional boring installs the pipe or conduit without an open cut. Open trenching is used where boring is not practical, and the trench is backfilled and graded to restore the surface.

Unmarked private lines, irrigation, low-voltage lighting, secondary electrical, or older water runs, will not appear on the 811 locate. Striking one mid-trench can cut water service to the house, damage electrical systems, or require a full repair excavation. The private trace is the step that prevents that outcome.

No. A buried line can be damaged, corroded, or out of service with no surface sign at all. That is why locating and tracing every line before work begins matters, a struck or degraded line found mid-installation costs far more to address than one caught during the planning stage.