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Underground utilities

underground utilities diagram
Locate underground utility lines before digging deep planting holes. Utilities may be scattered about the property.

Do not plant a tree before determining where underground utilities are located. You might damage the utilities, or you may get hurt digging the planting hole.

Consult your cable company, water and sewer departments, electric utility, telephone and gas companies before digging. There may also be fiber optic cable nearby.

Repairing this type cable is very expensive. Roots of large maturing trees planted within ten feet of underground municipal utility lines could be damaged when the utility needs to be serviced.

For this reason, some communities restrict planting near these utilities. Roots usually will not penetrate well designed, properly installed utilities that do not leak water.