[TowerTalk] Underground Utilities

[Mike Fatchett]

Swimming pool pipes and sprinkler lines are not utilities.  We are 
talking about utility locates.

It appears that Florida has this service too.

In Florida, calling 811 is free and it connects you to SSOCOF, which 
communicates your information to local utility companies. A professional 
locator then visits the dig site to mark the approximate location of 
underground utility lines with spray paint or flags. Once the site is 
marked, digging can begin. This is a free service!

Failure to call 811 contributed to an estimated 75,000 underground 
utility damages in 2008, according to industry data compiled by the 
Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the international organization dedicated 
to protecting underground utility lines and the safety of people who dig 
near them.

Just like when the Gov't taxes a business you eventually will pay those 
taxes or the expenses related to utility damages.

Mike W0MU

On 8/30/2010 7:22 AM, Mickey Baker wrote:
> I Florida, we have relatively low property taxes and energy rates and no
> state income tax. The state's balance sheet is healthy. How's the situation
> in Michigan? I do NOT want to go ask for more services "for free" out of my
> taxes or energy bill and I really don't want a publicly paid entity locating
> swimming pool pipes and sprinkler lines in someone's yard.
>
> It would be fair to do this with a permit fee.  If you're going to dig a
> hole or trenche, get a permit and we'll send someone out and pay them out of
> your permit.
>
>   Is it fair to imbed it in utility bills, as it appears that it is in
> Michigan? Maybe Michigan should re-think this.
>
> Mickey
>
> On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 8:39 AM,<n8de at thepoint.net>  wrote:
>
>> In Michigan, we call 'Miss Dig' which is a separate company, PAID BY
>> Consumers' Electric, when we need this done.
>>
>> They find ALL underground lines:  phone, electric, natural gas pipe, etc.
>>
>> The cost to the home owner is ZERO.
>>
>> Perhaps your state needs to investigate this?
>> 73
>> Don
>> N8DE
>>
>>
>>
>> Quoting "Gary E. Jones"<garyejones at cmaaccess.com>:
>>
>>> An issue that people may need to wrestle with is........  do they mark
>> the
>>> lines that run on your private property?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Several years ago, I installed an in-ground swimming pool. Unfortunately,
>>> where the pool was designed to be, was dead center for where two 200A 240
>>> lines were coming into the house below ground. Although I guessed that
>> they
>>> were there (by the line of sight method between where the above-ground
>>> transformer was and the service entrance on my house), I called the
>>> utilities to mark the lines. My electric utility was SWEPCO (Southwest
>>> Electric Power Company). They dutifully marked their lines in their right
>> of
>>> ways, but there was no line marked up to my house (the whole point of the
>>> exercise). AT&T marked theirs up to the house, the cable people marked
>>> theirs, but SWEPCO did nothing beyond their ROWs. When I specifically
>> asked
>>> the man doing the marking, he informed me that "we don't mark private
>>> property".
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Now, this from the same company that ran 3 or 4 commercials a day showing
>> a
>>> man and his son ready to dig in their back yard until his helpful wife
>>> reminds him that he could get electrocuted, and he calls SWEPCO to mark
>>> their lines in his backyard.....     (Yea, right !!!!)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I happened to also have my "lawn irrigation man" here that day marking
>> some
>>> lines, and he used his underground wire tracing indicator to find the 200
>>> amp service leads (it sounds like pure 60 Hz hash in his earphones) and
>> he
>>> traced the lines for me. His traces were perfect....
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Point of story.....    make sure that they will mark your lines (the
>> lines
>>> from their transformer to your house are "yours", not theirs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>            73
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>                            Gary        W5FI
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>