Why Calling 811 Isn't Enough: The Hidden Dangers of Private Utility Lines in Reno

Date: January 15, 2026 Author: Silver State Electric Team Category: Safety & Education

It starts with a vision. Maybe you’re finally putting in that detached workshop you’ve dreamed of, or perhaps you’re upgrading your backyard with a new pool or an extensive landscape lighting system. You’re a responsible homeowner, so you do the right thing: you call 811, the national "Call Before You Dig" hotline. A few days later, the utility companies come out and spray paint their colorful lines across your property. You see the red for power, yellow for gas, and blue for water. You feel safe. You feel ready to dig.

But here is the hard truth that has cost Reno homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs and countless sleepless nights: 811 is not enough.

While the 811 service is a critical first step, it has a major limitation that many property owners don't understand until it’s too late. Relying solely on public utility marking can leave you blind to a web of "private" underground lines that are your responsibility—and your liability. At Silver State Electric, we’ve seen firsthand the damage a single shovel strike can cause. In this guide, we’re going to pull back the dirt and reveal why private utility locating is the missing piece of your safe digging puzzle.

The "Service Meter" Limit: Where 811 Stops

To understand why you need private locating, you first need to understand the scope of the free 811 service. When you call 811, they notify the public utility companies (like NV Energy or TMWA) to mark the lines they own and maintain.

Here is the catch: They only own the lines up to your service meter.

Think of your service meter as a "handshake" point. It’s where the utility company says goodbye and hands the responsibility over to you. Everything "downstream" from that meter—meaning the lines that run from your main panel to your house, or from your house to other structures on your property—is considered a private utility.

The public locator will mark the power line coming from the street to your electric meter. But if you have a power line running from that meter to a detached garage, a hot tub, or a backyard shed? They won't mark it. They won't even look for it. As far as the 811 service is concerned, that line doesn't exist. But your excavator bucket will certainly find it.

The "Private" Danger Zones: What Is Hiding in Your Yard?

In the rocky, uneven soil of Northern Nevada, underground lines aren't always where you think they should be. Over the last 25 years, we’ve found private utilities buried at inconsistent depths, zig-zagging around large boulders, or running in completely illogical paths because a previous owner took a shortcut.

Here are the most common private lines that 811 will never mark:

1. Detached Structure Feeds

If you have a workshop, a guest cottage (ADU), or a detached garage that has electricity, there is a buried line feeding it. This is the #1 most struck private utility we encounter.

2. Outdoor Amenities

That new hot tub, the heated swimming pool, or the custom outdoor kitchen? They all require significant power feeds. Often, these lines are buried shallowly or run through the middle of what looks like an empty lawn.

3. Landscape Lighting & Irrigation

While cutting a low-voltage lighting wire might not be catastrophic, it is incredibly annoying and difficult to repair properly. Cutting a main irrigation control wire, however, can disable your entire watering system in the heat of a Reno summer.

4. Propane & Septic Lines

Many homes in the outskirts of Reno and Sparks rely on propane tanks or septic systems. The gas line running from your rented propane tank to your house is often considered private. Hitting this line isn't just expensive; it’s a severe safety hazard.

The True Cost of a Strike

You might be thinking, "I have a rough idea of where the lines are. I’ll be careful." But "careful" doesn't account for a line that was shifted three feet to the left by a tree root or buried only six inches deep by a lazy contractor ten years ago.

The cost of striking a private utility line goes far beyond the repair bill:

• Financial Impact: You are responsible for the full cost of the repair. If you hit a main feeder line, you may need to trench a completely new path, costing thousands of dollars in electrical work and landscape restoration.
• Project Paralysis: Your project stops immediately. If you hit a power line, you have no power. If you hit a gas line, the fire department shuts down your site. A simple afternoon of digging can turn into a week-long delay.
• Safety & Liability: This is the most serious factor. Striking a 240-volt feeder line can cause severe injury or death. Furthermore, if your strike damages a neighbor's property or causes a wider outage, you could be held liable for those damages as well.

Precision Locating: How We Find What Others Miss

At Silver State Electric, we approach utility locating with the precision of a surgeon. We don't guess, and we don't rely on old, hand-drawn maps from previous owners.

We utilize advanced electromagnetic locating technology. This allows us to induce a signal onto a conductive line (like a wire or a metal pipe) and trace its exact path and depth across your property. For non-conductive lines, we can often use trace wires or other specialized methods to identify their location.

Our process is thorough:

1. Visual Inspection: We look for clues—conduit leaving a wall, a sub-panel in a shed, a valve box in the grass.
2. Active Scanning: We sweep the area with our receivers to pick up signals from energized lines.
3. Inductive Tracing: We clamp onto known utility points to trace specific lines out to their termination.
4. Clear Marking: We mark the ground clearly with paint or flags, distinguishing our private marks from the public 811 marks.

When Should You Call Silver State Electric?

The rule of thumb is simple: If you are breaking ground, you need to know what is below it.

You should schedule a private utility locate if you are:

• Installing a new fence or deck posts.
• Planting large trees or shrubs.
• Trenching for a sprinkler system or French drain.
• Excavating for a new driveway or patio.
• Installing a sign or mailbox post.

Conclusion: Don't Gamble with Your Ground

In the construction world, we have a saying: "It’s cheaper to locate it than to fix it." The small investment in a professional private utility locate is essentially an insurance policy against disaster. It gives you the freedom to dig with confidence, knowing that your family, your property, and your project are safe.

Don't assume 811 has you covered. They do their job, but their job stops at the meter. For everything else, trust the experts who have been powering Reno for over two decades.

Planning a project? Contact Silver State Electric today to schedule your private utility locate.