Manteca, CA|Local Classified|Gigs & Services|
Before You Dig That Fence Post Hole in Manteca, Make One Free Call
Spring and summer are peak season for new fences across Manteca, and most of that work starts the same way, with someone digging holes for fence posts. Those holes are often two to three feet deep, which is more than enough to reach the gas, water, electric, and communication lines buried in many residential yards. Hitting one is dangerous and expensive, and it is almost always avoidable.
Here is what every Manteca homeowner and contractor should know before the first hole goes in.
California law requires anyone planning to dig to have underground utility lines marked first. The free service that handles this for our area is USA North 811. You can reach it by dialing 811 or by submitting a request online, and there is no charge to use it.
The process is simple. Submit your request at least two working days before you plan to dig. Utility companies then send locators to mark the approximate location of their buried lines with paint and flags, using standard color codes. Once the lines are marked, you can dig carefully near them and avoid the most serious hazards.
A few points that often get missed:
The marks cover public utility lines, not private ones. Lines you installed yourself, such as those running to a detached garage, a pool pump, or sprinklers, are usually not marked, so plan around those separately.
Marks are good for a limited time. If your project is delayed by a few weeks, you may need to submit a new request before resuming.
Skipping the call is not just risky, it can leave you responsible for repair costs and outages that affect an entire neighborhood.
A fence is meant to last for years, and starting with one free phone call keeps the project safe from the very first hole. When in doubt about buried lines, easements, or where a project stands, USA North 811 and the City of Manteca can both point you in the right direction.