Before You Dig

How can you tell where a pipeline is located?

Look for these signs:

Painted metal or plastic posts

Signs located near roads, railroads and along pipeline right of ways

Pipeline casing vent

Marker for pipeline patrol plane

Since pipelines are buried underground, pipeline markers like the ones shown above are used to indicate the approximate location of a pipeline. They cannot be relied upon to indicate the exact location of a pipeline. Pipeline markers can usually be found where the pipeline intersects a street, highway or railroad. The pipeline may not follow a straight course between markers, and the markers are limited in the information they provide. They provide no information on the depth or number of pipelines in the area.

One Call / Program Procedures and Phone Numbers

Even though underground pipelines are identified with pipeline markers, a major cause of pipeline accidents is third party activity. The number one cause of pipeline leaks is damage caused by earth-moving and construction equipment and tools owned by parties other than the pipeline company. If you plan to dig or do any type of excavation or construction work, call 811 or your state specific “One Call Center” (link below) a few days prior to excavation.

For more information about 811 and the call before you dig process, go to http://www.call811.com/

For state specific information, go to http://www.call811.com/state-specific.aspx