Safety
Why we call Utah 811 before every stump grinding job
Illustrative photo.
Grinding a stump moves soil, and Utah law treats that as excavation. So before every job we request a free locate through Blue Stakes of Utah 811, at least three business days ahead. Utility companies then mark their buried lines with paint and flags. Private lines — like sprinklers and secondary water — aren't marked by 811, so we flag those with you on site.
A stump grinder's wheel reaches below the soil line, and old tree roots love to wrap around whatever is buried nearby. Gas lines, power cables, fiber and water service lines often run right through front yards and park strips — sometimes only inches down. Hitting one is dangerous, expensive and completely avoidable.
Is stump grinding really "digging"?
Yes. Blue Stakes of Utah explains that Utah law defines excavation as any operation where earth, rock or other material on or below the ground is moved or displaced by tools or equipment. A stump grinder does exactly that, so we treat every job as excavation — no matter how shallow.
How the 811 process works
- We submit a locate request. Blue Stakes asks for requests at least three business days, but no more than 14 calendar days, before the work begins. Requests can be made online at any hour; the call center is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.
- Utility companies mark their lines. Each member utility sends a locator to mark what it owns and maintains, usually up to the meter, with colored paint, flags or both.
- We confirm and grind. On grind day we check the marks against the work area before we start. A locate request stays valid for 21 calendar days, so we schedule the job inside that window.
Having lines marked is free for homeowners and contractors alike — it's paid for by the member utilities.
What the colored marks in your yard mean
Locators follow the American Public Works Association color code:
| Color | What's buried there |
|---|---|
| Red | Electric power lines, cables and conduit |
| Yellow | Natural gas, oil and other gas lines |
| Orange | Phone, cable TV, internet and fiber |
| Blue | Drinking water |
| Purple | Reclaimed water and irrigation |
| Green | Sewer and storm drains |
| Pink | Temporary survey markings |
| White | The proposed dig area (we may mark the stump this way) |
Please leave the paint and flags in place until we've finished. If marks get mowed away or washed out, we'll ask for them to be re-marked.
The lines 811 doesn't mark
This is the part most homeowners don't know. Utility companies only mark the lines they own. Anything past the meter that you or a previous owner installed is usually private, and it won't be marked. In Davis County yards that commonly includes:
- Sprinkler lines, valves and heads
- Secondary-water (irrigation) lines
- Landscape and driveway lighting
- Power run to a shed, garage or hot tub
- Gas lines to a grill, fire pit or detached building
- Septic lines and drain pipes
Before we start, we walk the area with you and flag any of these near the stump. If you know where your sprinkler valves or secondary-water line run, tell us when you book — it makes the job faster and safer.
What this means for your job
- Plan about three business days of lead time between booking and grind day, so the marks can be made.
- You don't need to call 811 yourself for our work; we handle it for every job.
- If you're digging afterward — for sod prep, a new tree or a fence — request your own locate for that work.
Locating utilities is one of the ways we keep a stump job safe. You can read about the others on our About page.
Source: Blue Stakes of Utah 811 FAQs, bluestakes.org, checked October 2026.
Ready to get your stump marked and gone?
Text a photo to 801-903-2895. We'll quote it, request the locate and book a date about three business days out.