Does Texas 811 Mark Your Private Sewer Line Before You Dig?

No. Texas 811 passes your dig request to member utilities, and each utility marks only the lines it owns, usually up to the meter or the main. Your private sewer line, the lateral running from the house to the city tap, is not marked. You still must contact Texas 811 at least two working days before digging, then hire a private locator for your own lines.

This surprises a lot of people. Homeowners call 811, see green and yellow flags appear in the parkway, and assume the whole yard has been cleared. Then a post hole auger or a trencher finds the sewer lateral nobody marked.

Here is what Texas 811 does, what Texas law says, which lines on an El Paso property are yours to locate, and how to get them marked before you dig.

The short answer: 811 marks utility lines, not yours

Texas811 is a notification center. It takes your request and alerts the member utilities with lines near your dig site. Those utilities send locators to mark their own facilities. Anything past the point where the utility’s ownership ends is private, and no one marks it unless you hire someone.

Texas811 is the link between your plans to dig and our member utility companies. Texas811 does not actually mark underground utilities.

That wording comes straight from the Texas811 FAQ, which also says private utilities are the buried lines after the meter or main lines, and that there are locating fees for private locates because the owner is responsible for the cost.

How the Texas 811 process works

Calling 811 or using the online portal is free. You give the address, a description of the work, the depth and the equipment, and you receive a ticket number to keep for the project. According to Texas811’s guide on what to expect, the two working day wait, excluding weekends and holidays, gives locators time to travel to your site.

What Texas law requires

The rules live in Texas Utilities Code Chapter 251. Under Section 251.151, an excavator must give notice no earlier than the 14th day and no later than the 48th hour before digging begins, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Under Section 251.157, operators must mark their facilities within that same 48 hour window, following American Public Works Association color codes.

The statute also explains why private lines are left out. Section 251.003 excludes from the chapter an underground facility that serves only the owner or the owner’s tenant and is located solely on the owner’s property. Your sewer lateral fits that description.

The 16 inch figure is part of the statute’s definition of excavation, but do not treat it as a free pass. Texas811 asks anyone planning to break ground, including hand digging, to contact them, because lines can sit just inches below the surface.

Which lines on your property are private?

Texas811 describes private utilities as lines not owned by utility companies, typically found between the meter and the building. On a typical El Paso home or commercial lot, that list is longer than most people expect.

Texas 811 and your private sewer line in El Paso

El Paso Water’s customer rules make the customer responsible for the sewer service line from the tap at the main into the property, and for keeping it in good, serviceable and safe condition. Locating it before you dig is therefore your job too. We cover ownership and repair costs in more depth in who is responsible for the sewer line in El Paso.

Older laterals in central and east El Paso are often clay or cast iron, and many predate tracer wire, so surface tools struggle to find them. Tree planting is a common way they get hit, which is one more reason to check which trees are worst for sewer lines before choosing a spot.

How to get a private sewer line marked

A private locator traces your lines and marks them in the same colors utilities use. The Texas811 color code assigns green to sewer and drain lines, blue to potable water, purple to irrigation and yellow to gas.

For a sewer lateral, the most dependable method is a sonde on a camera head sent through the cleanout, with a receiver tracing its path from above. Our pipe locating and mapping service works this way, and since every job starts with a high resolution camera inspection, you learn the line’s condition along with its route. If you want the technical detail, see how plumbers locate underground pipes without digging.

What to do next

1. Outline the dig area and contact Texas 811 at least two working days ahead.
2. List every private line you know of: sewer, irrigation, gas or power to outbuildings.
3. Find your sewer cleanout so a locator can get a camera into the lateral.
4. Schedule a private locate and keep all marks visible until the work is done.
5. For a larger project, read why you should map your pipes before a remodel.

To get your lateral located, Request Service or call 915.858.0166.

Questions El Paso homeowners ask about Texas 811

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