Call Texas 811 and the City Before You Dig
Anyone breaking ground needs to check for buried utility lines first, whether you are a homeowner putting in a tree or a contractor excavating for a foundation.
Under Texas law, you must call 811 before digging so that natural gas pipes, electric cables and other underground utilities can be located and marked to prevent damage.
If your work involves digging anywhere in a City of Fredville right-of-way, you also need to ask the city to mark its water lines, sewer lines and traffic signal fiber-optic cable.
These rules exist to protect buried utilities. Careless digging is the leading cause of accidents involving underground pipelines.
City-Owned Lines: Water, Sewer and Traffic Fiber Optics
Reach the city by phone at (555) 010-1903 or by e-mail at [email protected].
- Allow three full business days for the city to mark your site. Emergency locates are the exception.
- Be ready to give your name, phone number and company name, the kind of work planned and where the project is located.
- Let us know whether you have outlined the dig area with white markings, and whether you need lines marked in the front yard, in the street, behind the curb, along the side or at the back of the property.
- After your request is processed, colored paint marks or flags will appear at the site showing where buried lines run. If no lines are in the area, crews will write "clear" on the ground.
- Locate marks expire. If your project is still underway after two weeks, call again to have the lines re-marked.
- There is no charge. The city marks its water, sewer and traffic fiber-optic lines for free.
Locating Natural Gas, Electric and Other Utility Lines
Call 811.
- Make the call at least two working days before you plan to dig. Congress created 811 as a national toll-free number to help prevent damage to buried utility lines during excavation.
- You will answer some questions about the job, and the operator will send your information on to professional line locators.
- Locators will mark the routes of natural gas pipes, electric lines and other buried utilities with colored flags or temporary spray paint.
- Texas 811 does not charge to locate utility lines or to explain the state's excavation laws.
Locating Private Lines on Your Property
Lines that belong to the property owner, including private water lines, sewer lines and taps, must be located by a plumber.
Neither 811 nor the City of Fredville can mark privately owned lines. Hire a licensed plumber or a commercial line-locating company ahead of time to find and mark them. As a general rule, the homeowner is responsible for the water line from the meter to the house and for the sewer line from the sidewalk to the house.
After the Lines Are Marked
- Work carefully anywhere near utility markings.
- Within the tolerance zone shown by the markings, dig only by hand.
If You Hit a Line While Digging
- Natural gas line: Even a small nick, scrape or dent counts. Call 911, then call the natural gas utility's emergency number at (555) 010-2492 so the utility can inspect and repair it. Minor damage can weaken a gas line and lead to a leak later.
- Water or sewer line: Report it right away on the city's water emergency line, (555) 010-1903.
- Cable, phone or other lines: Call 811 again and report a "dig-up" ticket. Texas 811 will identify who owns the line so the excavator can report the damage directly, and that company will send a crew to restore service.
Questions about permits for your project? Contact Building Inspections.
Fredville is a demonstration city built by Talk to Fred. Names, numbers and details on this page are sample content.