Grant Piraine
Nov 2, 2018
From a technical perspective, the process of locating buried utility infrastructure is similar whether the facility is public or private. The same locating equipment is used, the same fundamental procedures apply, and the same objective exists: to identify and mark buried facilities so work can proceed safely.
Where public and private locates differ is not in how they are performed, but in who owns the infrastructure, who controls the information, and who supports the locate process.
How a Locate Is Performed
Whether public or private, a locate technician typically follows these steps:
Review available records to understand the buried facility’s path and connection points.
Physically connect a locate transmitter to an accessible connection point and apply a signal to the buried facility.
Use a receiver to trace the signal, sometimes supplementing with non standard techniques such as ground penetrating radar or electromagnetic survey equipment.
Mark the located facility using appropriate marking methods such as paint, flags, or offsets.
Prepare a locate report documenting the findings, including sketches and notes that correspond to marks on the ground.
Technically, these steps are nearly identical in both public and private locating.
The Two Key Differences
There are two primary factors that distinguish public locates from private locates.
The first is ownership of the buried facility. The second is how information is provided to the locator.
Public Locates
Public locators identify and mark buried facilities that are owned and maintained by public utility companies. These facilities are generally located within the public right of way and may extend onto private property up to a defined demarcation point, which varies by utility owner.
Public utility owners typically maintain records, provide drawings, and control access to their infrastructure. As a result, public locators often have better baseline information, established access points, and institutional support when performing their work.
Private Locates
Private locators identify buried facilities owned and maintained by private landowners or organizations. These facilities exist beyond the public demarcation point and are often undocumented, modified over time, or installed by multiple contractors across decades.
Unlike public locators, private locators rely entirely on the information and access provided by the person or organization hiring them. In many cases, drawings are not provided, access to connection points is limited, and facility knowledge resides with individuals who may not be available during the locate.
In practice, private locators are frequently required to work with incomplete information or no information at all.
Information Management and Risk
Information management is the most significant factor separating public and private locating.
Public locators are generally provided with records and access by the utility owner. Private locators must request drawings, access, and support from the private facility owner or their representative. Unfortunately, in many private locate requests, drawings do not exist, are outdated, or are not understood to be important.
Additional challenges commonly include lack of access to mechanical rooms or utility spaces, missing or inaccessible connection points, and limited on site support from knowledgeable personnel.
As a result, private locators are often required to work “blind”, piecing together underground infrastructure networks through investigation rather than confirmation.
Accountability Without Control
Despite these limitations, private locate contractors are often held contractually accountable for errors or omissions that arise from missing information or restricted access. This creates a difficult and sometimes unrealistic expectation: to provide complete results without being given the tools necessary to do so.
When a locator does not have access, drawings, or facility support, the risk of missing or inaccurately locating a buried facility increases. This risk is not theoretical. It manifests as strikes, service disruptions, safety incidents, and disputes after the fact.
Why This Difference Matters
While the differences between public and private locates are clear, the most important distinction is risk. Private locates inherently carry more risk than public locates because they depend on cooperation, information sharing, and site understanding that may not exist.
This risk can be significantly reduced through education. When property owners, supervisors, and workers understand the locate process, recognize its limitations, and actively support private locating efforts, outcomes improve.
OWNing Your Safety begins with KNOWing how public and private locates differ, where responsibility lies, and why paperwork alone is not enough.