WHAT TO TAKE AWAY
- Allow time for completed utility-owner responses.
- Customer-owned services need separate identification.
- Paint marks do not establish the depth of a line.
Ground work needs an underground plan
Root and stump projects may disturb soil where services run. Do not judge the risk only by the planned depth or the age of the planting. Utility Safety Partners warns that some buried utilities are close to the surface. Its homeowner guidance covers landscaping, fence work and gardens as well as larger digging projects. Tell the provider what method is proposed and identify the entire area that could be disturbed. Access-related excavation and any later change to the project footprint should also be considered in the planning discussion.
Request and wait for the responses
In Alberta, submit a locate request through Utility Safety Partners before the work. Their homeowner guidance says to allow at least three full working days of lead time. That lead time is a planning minimum, not a promise that every site is ready on a particular date. Utility owners respond with clearance information, markings and documentation, or arrangements for a site meeting. Keep those responses and ensure the relevant parties have them. A request confirmation alone does not tell the crew which utilities are present or what instructions apply.
Account for services outside the network
Customer-owned lines are a separate part of the investigation. Utility Safety Partners identifies water and sewer service lines, sprinkler systems and connections between buildings as examples that are not registered with its notification service. Ask a private locator about these systems and disclose anything you know about the property. Old plans and homeowner recollections can help explain the site, but they should not be represented as current verified positions. The removal contractor should know which checks have been completed and which services still need clarification before ground disturbance.
Respect what markings can establish
Markings show an approximate line position; they do not state the depth. Work near services must follow the utility owner's directions and the applicable safe-exposure requirements. This guide does not give operating instructions for a grinder or excavator beside a line. If marks are unclear, the planned footprint changes or documentation raises questions, ask the utility owner and contractor before proceeding. Do not substitute an online average burial depth or a neighbour's experience for the actual service information. The work plan should reflect the verified conditions at this property.
Make responsibility visible in the quote
Ask who requests the public locates, who coordinates private locating and who gives the documents to the operator. Keep the work area description consistent across the locate request, quote and site sketch. If a contractor discovers an unexpected service, the affected work should pause for clarification under the agreed process. Preserve the records with the completed job documentation. Use the private-line guide for household systems and the quote checklist to ensure utility coordination is part of the written scope.
A practical question to settle
Create a project folder for the request, utility-owner responses, private locating records and site instructions. Ask the contractor which documents the operator needs on the day. Keeping those records together makes it easier to identify an incomplete response or a changed footprint before equipment begins work.
Sources & local context
Requirements and waste services vary by municipality. These sources support the guide; confirm the details that apply to your actual site.
- Click Before You Dig: Homeowner Overview ↗Utility Safety Partners · Alberta locate requests, utility responses, private lines and safe work near markings.
- OHS Code, Part 32: Excavating and Tunnelling ↗Government of Alberta · Workplace excavation responsibilities, buried facilities and protective systems; not a DIY excavation procedure.