What do the markings mean?

Many people call us wondering why grass near their home is marked or what the markings mean.

Utility color codes are used to identify existing underground utilities in construction areas with the intent of protecting them from damage during excavation. This is done through flags or a special spray paint, neither of which will cause long-term harm to your lawn.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) Uniform Color Codes for temporary marking of underground utilities are listed below:

	Red	electric power lines, cables, conduit, and lighting cables
	Orange	telecommunication, alarm or signal lines, cables, or conduit
	Yellow	natural gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or other gaseous or flammable material
	Green	sewers and drain lines
	Blue	potable (drinkable) water
	Purple	reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines
	White	proposed excavation limits or route

My lawn is marked and I didn’t call 811.  Why?

There could be several reasons.  Often, work needs to be done by municipalities and the area marked may be in a right-of-way.  There may be some confusion in property lines. You may call or look up the ticket here to see who ordered it.

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