Contractors know the first step before breaking ground is calling 811 to locate underground utilities. But what many don’t realize is that 811 only marks public utilities. To get the complete picture, you also need to call a private locating company.
“Private underground structures have increased dramatically over the last 25 years—to the point where at least two-thirds of all underground structures are privately owned,” says Mike Iadanza, Senior Vice President at Mason Private Locating. “We work in tandem with 811 to educate people about the importance of private locating services.”
Iadanza will lead the education session Electromagnetic Underground Utility Locating at The Utility Expo - October 7, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Why It Matters
“The Utility Expo provides us a really great audience,” says Iadanza. “Not only utility owners attend, but all those who work and plan around them. It’s a mix of contractors, engineers, and planners. If we can educate people and make job sites safer, it pays for us to do so.”
Iadanza emphasizes that failing to locate private utilities before digging can cause costly project delays—and in some cases, life-threatening damage.
“It’s costly to discover an underground utility only after you’ve hit it—work stops immediately, investigations begin, and the job falls behind,” he explains. “Damage caused by striking underground infrastructure can go beyond the repair. That communication line to a police station or oxygen line to a hospital could be catastrophic if damaged.”
The Rise of Private Infrastructure
Iadanza illustrates the growth of private utilities with an example from his high school:
“Thirty years ago, my high school was a single building with a parking lot and a football field with a scoreboard. Now it’s a full campus with multiple buildings, a parking garage, a mini-stadium, concession stands, and new athletic fields. All those additions required underground power, propane, water, irrigation, and more—installed by subcontractors and owned by the school.
That same story plays out at strip malls, townhouse complexes, hospitals, industrial sites, and hotels. The amount of private underground utilities has increased dramatically over the last 25 years.”
Unlike public utilities, these private lines are the responsibility of the property owner to map and maintain—yet they’re often poorly documented.
Public vs. Private Locating
When a contractor calls 811, the public utility locator is only legally required to mark public utilities. Private infrastructure on the property is left unmarked.
“That’s where private locators come in,” says Iadanza. “We use technologies like ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic (EM) to identify and mark both known and unknown utilities. Every technician is trained and equipped to find it all.”
Mason Private Locating—today the largest privately owned locating company and the preferred partner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—works nationwide to close that gap, helping contractors avoid risks and delays.
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for anyone who works, digs, or plans around underground utilities, including:
- Excavation and contracting companies
- Environmental and surveying firms
- Engineering and planning firms
“Contractors are doing a much better job of calling us before they dig,” Iadanza notes. “It saves money, prevents damage, and keeps crews safe.”
Learn More at The Utility Expo
Don’t dig blind. Register for the 90-minute walking field classroom, Electromagnetic Underground Utility Locating. Learn how private locating services can protect your crews, your projects, and your bottom line.
This session is only available to the first 30 people that register, act fast!
Don’t miss this and 30 more sessions packed with practical training at The Utility Expo 2025, happening October 7–9 in Louisville, Kentucky. Discover new strategies and techniques while making lasting connections with your peers in the utility industry.
The Utility Expo’s comprehensive education program is the leading source for the utility industry to obtain cutting-edge information for today’s challenging economy and business model. In addition to jobsite safety and crew collaboration, topics include aerial devices, vacuum excavating, horizontal directional drilling, equipment hydraulics, and more.
Want to dive deeper into underground locating and jobsite safety? Industry-leading equipment brands will be on-site at The Utility Expo. Don’t miss the chance to connect, learn, and demo the latest tech firsthand.
See the full list of companies that will be exhibiting at The Utility Expo 2025: Exhibitor Directory.
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