Dug Up Phone Line.... What next?

Varmintmist · Dec 21, 2004

PA has a one call #. You call and get a conformation # and they have 3 working days to mark the utilities. You are to hand dig 18in to either side of the mark. If you do all of these things then its the marking companies nickle, if you dont, then you get the bill.

You NEVER assume that the utility is buried as deep as it says on a spec sheet. A lot of things can happen even if it is a correct install. Landscaping can take a foot off, or bury peds and cables. Road work and rebuilding road edges can place the utility 3 foot deeper than it should be, or leave it covered by sod.

I have run a few different locaters and I can say this, NONE of them are perfect. Some are real close once you learn the box and know when it is lying to you. NONE of them that I have seen would I bet 5 bucks on a depth reading.

I hate UG utilities. I really hate direct burial UG utilities. They are harder to work on and come with their own sets of trouble along with all the trouble you can get with overhead. Any fix you do will take longer unless it is in a terminal (ped) then it will be quicker with the UG.

Electric in phone lines. It kills me when people cant understand that the phone lines have electricity in it. Had a customer tell me that there was no electricity in a telephone circuit. I asked him "The why the heck do we spend all this money on copper wire??" Einstien couldnt answer that.
Battery voltage in -48vdc, ring voltage starts at the office at 98-110vdc pulsating, collect and return on a payphone is + or - 130 depending on which. A carrier pair can get to around 260. The current is minimal, but you still dont want to lick the cable.

Zork · Dec 21, 2004

I know its not New York, but Im sure you guys a way ahead of us down here. In Virginia we have a 48 hour rule, I think that it is a law as well. Call MISS UTILITY before you dig. They come for FREE and mark all lines. You dig by hand within 12" of markers. If you hit a line, they will come and fix it for free. If you dont call and hit it---They charge you big bucks. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

LBrown59 · Dec 21, 2004

( PA has a one call #. You call and get a conformation # and they have 3 working days to mark the utilities. You are to hand dig 18in to either side of the mark. If you do all of these things then its the marking companies nickle, if you dont, then you get the bill.
)
Don't this just apply to utility lines that do not serve you directly?

Inspector507 · Dec 21, 2004

Don't this just apply to utility lines that do not serve you directly? 
Not usually. Depends on where the utility stops and the "house lines" begin. If your gas/electric/water meter is at the street, they usually will not mark YOUR lines and those lines are your responsibilty to find and or repair if you hit them. If the meters are at the house, the lines underground are usually still the responsibilty of the utility. Those should be marked.
In our area, if you dig up the water line past the curb box, it's all yours. Gas and electric are usually at the house. This is in our area, your situation may be different.

LBrown59 · Dec 21, 2004

( If you dont call and hit it---They charge you big bucks.)

Even if it's your own service line?

Another Question :What if the reason for the dig is to replace ,relocate or repair the line ; are they still going to charge big bucks for hitting it if you didn't call?

Inspector507 · Dec 21, 2004

If it's your service line, most companies will not mark it. If you hit it, it's your dime to repair it. The utility will gladly come out and shut your service off /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

MikePA · Dec 22, 2004

Don't this just apply to utility lines that do not serve you directly? 
Any reputable contractor should require you to call Digsafe before they drop a backhoe bucket in the ground. It's cheap insurance for both of you since it transfers the liability from them and you to the utility company. You call DigSafe, they notify the utility companies, the utility companies come out and mark their underground lines. It doesn't matter whether they serve your property or not.

Zork · Dec 22, 2004

All I know is its just a phone call, an ounce of prevention. Hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Varmintmist · Dec 22, 2004

They will mark yours to depending on where you are going to dig, from my experiance. You tell them what you need marked, and they mark it.

If it is going to affect the utilities then they will mark it. Including service drops.

Now, after your demark, then they might, but you might have to pay for it. Have them mark theirs and ask the guy while he is there to do yours.

If you are digging to replace and you didnt call and hit it. You will be billed. Honestly though on 6pr service drops (telco) we dont normally bill. Cut a cable and its a buck a wire plus time and material, from when we find out about it billed in man hours ie 2 techs and a supervisor at 82/hour loaded labor rate. Bills are dependant on attitude, if you wish to be not nice, get out the checkbook, cause I can work slooooooow. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Zork · Dec 22, 2004

The only place that I've seen was one jurisdiction in CO. where it was the owners (the electrician they hired) responsibilty from the transformer pad to the meter and that was installed in pipe. Even then the utility was willing to help. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif