Utility Locates

Be Safe and Call Before you Dig! 

Utility lines, including water, sewer, gas, electrical and fiber utilities are running underground all around the City of Durango.

The Utility Notification Center of Colorado (UNCC) generally known as Colorado 811 (colorado811.org) should be contacted either via phone (dial 811) or through their online portal at least two business days prior to the time of planned excavation (the day of the notice does not count for calculation of required response times).

When creating a locate ticket, be sure to describe completely the area to be located as omitted areas tend to be the most frequent cause of delay in locates or damage to utilities.

The City of Durango has contracted with US Infrastructure Company Locating Services LLC (USIC) to perform locating services for City owned water and sewer utilities. This includes all water and sewer assets within the City right of way (generally from sidewalk to sidewalk) and where a water main crosses private property. Service lines to individual properties are not located by USIC, accordingly it is the customer responsibility to have locates of service lines completed where work may occur. Locating companies which may provide the service are listed on the Colorado 811 website.

First Step - Call

The First step is to Call 811or use the Online Ticketing System to input a ticket.

This is the easiest way to make sure you keep your communities safe and connected. Data shows that when you call 811 the appropriate amount of time before digging, you have a less than 1% chance of striking a buried utility line.

Second Step - Wait

After entering a ticket you need to Wait, Utility owners have two days (not including the day the ticket was entered) to respond to a ticket request.

Third Step - Review your ticket online and confirm

Review your ticket online and Confirm that all affected utility operators have responded to your request and located accurately. It may also be necessary to locate private utilities in the work area by engaging a private locator.

It is worth the time to document with photographs the locates that have been made. Further, if you see clear evidence of a utility, such as an above ground marker, manhole cover or utility box, but no marks, call 811 and request a second notification and discuss any issues so that utility can be notified.

Fourth Step - Respect the marks

Respect the marks. The marks provided by the affected utility operators are your guide for the duration of your project.

If you are unable to maintain the marks during your project, or the project will continue past your request’s expiration date (30 days), please call or contact 811 to ask for a re-mark.

Fifth Step - Dig carefully

Dig carefully. State laws generally prohibit the use of mechanized equipment within 18-24 inches of a marked utility, which is called the “tolerance zone”.

If you must dig near the marks, hand dig or use vacuum excavation to expose the facility. After exposing the facility, avoid using mechanized equipment within the same tolerance zone.

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