Line & Pipe Location Services

Why line location matters before you dig

Underground water, sewer, and gas lines are not always where old property drawings suggest, especially in homes that have had additions, landscaping changes, or previous repairs. Digging without confirming line locations risks striking a pipe, which can mean an unplanned repair, water service interruption, or a safety hazard if a gas line is involved.

Professional locating equipment uses electronic signals and tracing tools to estimate the route of buried lines so excavation crews, landscapers or remodeling contractors can plan with better information. Marks are not a guarantee of exact depth or permission to dig without further precautions. This applies to water supply lines, sewer laterals, and in some cases gas lines feeding outdoor fixtures or additions.

How the locating process works

A transmitter can apply a signal to a suitable conductive line, while a receiver follows that signal from the surface. A camera-mounted locating sonde can help trace an accessible sewer line. The method depends on the pipe and available access. For lines that cannot be directly connected to, acoustic or electromagnetic methods can sometimes identify the general path, though accuracy depends on soil conditions, pipe material, and depth.

Once the route is assessed, the route is marked on the ground using flags, paint, or both, following standard color coding where applicable. This information gets handed off to the excavation or landscaping crew before any digging starts, reducing the chance of an accidental strike.

Line location is commonly requested before pool installation, major landscaping projects, foundation or slab work, fence post installation, or any project involving trenching near the home. It is also useful when a property's existing records are incomplete or when a previous repair may have rerouted a line from its original path.

Scheduling and coordination with your project

Because timing often matters for construction schedules, line location visits can usually be arranged within a reasonable window, and the technician will coordinate directly with your contractor or landscaper if that makes scheduling easier. Discuss how the located route will be marked and shared with the excavation crew. Estimated location still needs safe digging practices because surface markings cannot show every buried condition.

There is no demolition or repair involved in a standard locating visit unless an existing problem, such as a suspected leak, is uncovered during the process. Pricing for line location is quoted upfront based on the scope of the property and number of lines to be traced.

Before excavation, contact 811 for the required utility marking process. Private plumbing location does not replace public utility marking, and some private lines may not be included in the utility response. For scheduling or questions about what a locating visit includes, call the Tempe shop at 1917 E 5th St or (480) 808-9990.