Damage to buried power, water, internet and natural gas utility lines running under the state costs approximately $50 million every year. That amounts to more than 500 accidents annually.
This is according to the Common Ground Alliance, a nonprofit trade group working to prevent damage to underground utilities and protecting those who live and work near them.
Utility strike consequences can range from an irritating disruption to home internet or to a building evacuation to catastrophic loss of life.
CGA President and CEO Sarah Magruder Lyle says homeowners cause some mistakes, but excavators are responsible for most major damage
"But that doesn’t mean it’s their fault,” she says.
Meaning they can properly submit a utility line locate request, do everything by the book and still run into trouble because of inaccurate or nonexistent underground utility mapping.
Magruder Lyle says state and federal utility regulators need to close enforcement gaps.
"We’re not talking about just more regulation. We’re talking about effective regulation, and there is a difference. We know when there are laws and penalties in place that deter behavior there will be less damages.”
The report comes as construction accelerates across Montana for various projects from natural resource and energy development, to airport and transportation corridor improvements.
Homeowners and contractors are reminded to contact Montana 811 before any digging project to have buried utility lines located and marked, no matter how minor the work.
