Kentucky 811 > Homeowners > Private Utilities & Locators

Private Utilities & Locators

Know What’s Below

After submitting a locate request, Kentucky 811 will send a notice to member utilities that own facilities in the area of your dig site. However, some underground utilities on your property will NOT be marked by Kentucky 811 members because they are not owned by KY 811 members. These can include underground lines like an electric line or water line to your pool, lines to septic tanks and the tanks themselves, electric lines to sheds or landscape lighting, lawn sprinkler systems and more. You are responsible for contacting non-members and having any private lines on your property marked.

As a general rule, if the utility runs from the street to the meter, and is owned by a Kentucky 811 member, the member will mark the utility.  If the utility is installed from the meter to another location on your property, you will need to hire a private locator to locate that line.

Public vs. Private Utilities

Public Utilities

Once your locate request is received, Kentucky 811 will notify member utilities that own facilities in the area of your dig site. The following are examples of public utilities:

  • A communications utility member will mark all lines from the street to the cable box.
  • The street lights are typically owned by a municipality or homeowners association, making them public utilities.
  • The public gas line extends from the main gas line to the meter. However, a dedicated line to an outdoor grill or fire pit are examples of privately owned gas utilities.
  • Electric lines coming in from the road to the power meter are public utilities.
  • Water lines coming in from the road to the water meter are public utilities.

Private Locates

Some underground utilities are NOT owned by Kentucky 811 members. You are responsible for contacting non-members and having any private utilities on your property marked. The following are examples of private utilities.

  • Any underground pipes connecting a swimming pump/filter to a pool would require a private locate, as those pipes are installed beyond the meter on the property.
  • The sprinklers are after the water meter, making them a private utility.
  • The homeowner’s lighting is after the electric meter, making it a private utility.

Any company which provides utility locating services in Kentucky can be included on this webpage by emailing us at

Private Locators

If you think you might have a private utility on your property, you should contact a private locating company (like those listed below) to locate any privately owned lines before you dig. These companies may charge a fee to locate private lines on your property.

The information provided above is offered only as a convenience to property owners. Kentucky 811 does not endorse the organizations listed above, nor does it endorse any views they express or products/services they offer. Kentucky 811 is not responsible, and specifically disclaims any responsibility, for the products or services performed by the organizations listed above. Kentucky 811 makes no warranty, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness of a particular purpose relating to any products or services provided by the organizations listed above. Kentucky 811 assumes no legal liability for the actions or inactions of the listed organizations, nor for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the list of providers. Before engaging any organization listed above, a property owner needing to engage a locating company is expressly advised to exercise due diligence, reasonable investigation, and caution.