Private Utility Locating on the Oregon Coast: Sand, Salt Air, and Septic
Coast properties have their own set of underground problems. The soil is sandy. The air is salty. Many of the houses are second homes that have changed hands several times. Once you are out of town, most properties are on a well and a septic system. 811 marks the utility company's lines to the meter. On a coastal lot, that is often the smallest part of what is buried.
Why the coast is different
Sand. Ground penetrating radar works well in dry sand, so we can often see plastic pipe, septic tanks, and drain fields clearly. Wet sand near the water table is a different case, and the depth we can see drops. We use electromagnetic locating for anything metallic and GPR where the sand allows.
Salt air. Galvanized water lines, steel gas fittings, and old electrical conduit corrode quickly in the coastal air. Many coast properties have a mix of original metal lines and newer plastic replacements, and the two do not always connect where you would expect. The old line is often still in the ground next to the new one.
Missing records. Vacation homes, rentals, and inherited properties change hands without the septic as-built, the well log, or any record of where a previous owner ran power to the shed. On many coast properties we start from scratch.
What we locate that 811 does not
Septic tank, distribution box, and drain field
Well line from the wellhead to the house
Private water service from the meter in
Power to garages, shops, guest cabins, and pump houses
Propane from the tank to the house
Old, abandoned, or replaced lines still in the ground
Private storm drains and French drains (common on sloped coastal lots)
When you will want a locate
Buying or selling a property on septic (the tank and drain field location is the first question an inspector asks)
Building a deck, fence, or retaining wall on a lot that slopes toward the water
Adding a shop, garage, or guest space that needs a new power or water run
Replacing a corroded water line without striking the one next to it
Any excavation on a property where the records are incomplete
What you get
Every line we find is painted in the standard APWA colors, so your excavator reads our marks the same as 811's. We are able to give depth estimates when requested at the time of service or during scheduling. In wet sand we will tell you when the range is wide. For a permit, a septic evaluation, or your own file, we can provide a sketch or a GPS/RTK file of the findings (when selected at time of service).
Scheduling on the coast
Our Oregon Coast office covers Coos Bay, North Bend, Bandon, Reedsport, Florence, Newport, and Lincoln City. We also work inland to Eugene and the Douglas and Lane County area. Call 541-315-6728 or send the address and a description of the work. Realtors, inspectors, and contractors who need this regularly can set up an account with us.
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