What information do I need to have before calling Blue Stakes?
NOTE: If you have the needed information, you can create a locate request online here. The following questions will be asked by the Blue Stakes operator. Questions to which an…
How much notice should I give Blue Stakes before starting to dig? How long will I be legally covered to dig?
Utah Law requires two full business days’ notice before excavation begins to allow the utility companies time to mark their lines. This does not include weekends or holidays observed by…
How do I know which utilities Blue Stakes has notified?
Blue Stakes sends an email or text confirmation to the person submitting each locate request. A list of member utilities notified and their contact information is included on the bottom…
I’m not sure if all utility lines have been marked. What should I do?
Blue Stakes recommends that excavators perform a thorough visual inspection of the entire dig site area to determine if all underground utility facilities have been located prior to beginning excavation.…
What about private utility lines?
Utah law only requires utility owners to mark the lines that they own and maintain. This usually means up to the meter. Underground lines that extend beyond the meter or…
What should I do if the markings are faded or have been destroyed?
It is the excavator’s responsibility to respect and protect the markings. If the markings have faded or been destroyed by weather or construction, the excavator should contact Blue Stakes and…
Can I dig near the markings?
After the markings have been made, excavators should maintain a minimum clearance of 24 inches between a marked and unexposed underground facility and the cutting edge or point of any…
What do the colored markings mean?
Utility owners follow the APWA (American Public Works Association) standard to mark the locations of their underground facilities. The following colors are used: RED – Electric Power Lines, Cables, Conduit…
Can I submit requests through the Internet?
Homeowners and contractors digging at a single address can submit a new locate request or revise an existing locate request online here. Contractors that create many tickets can be trained…
I’m not digging very deep. Do I need to call?
Yes. You should call no matter how deep you are digging, since many cables and pipes lie at extremely shallow depths. Utah law defines “excavation” as “an operation in which…