Planting Near Utilities and Irrigation Lines

This is one of the most common concerns we hear from customers, especially the question:
“What happens if a sprinkler or pipe is hit?”

To address this, we developed a detailed Utilities Policy years ago that explains our stance on both hazardous and non-hazardous lines. This policy is available on our website 24/7, and we require all customers to review, approve, and sign it digitally before delivery.

👉 Read Treeland’s Utilities Policy here

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Hazardous Utilities

The utilities of greatest concern are gas and electric lines, with gas lines being the most critical.

By Texas state law, Treeland must submit a TX811 locate ticket for all tree removals, plantings, stakings, and restakings.

Once the ticket is submitted:

1. TX811 notifies all utility operators with lines in the noted area.
2. Each operator visits your property to mark their lines with spray paint dashes or small flags.

A Key Point About Gas Lines

Gas utility companies only mark the underground facilities they own and operate.
They do not mark private lines that run from the meter to your home.

These private lines are considered homeowner-owned and are typically installed by third-party contractors (such as plumbers). Since the gas company does not own these private lines, they do not provide markings for them.

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What Lines Are Not Marked by TX811?

TX811 does not mark private or non-public utility lines, including:

• Lines extending from the meter to the house
• Main water lines
• Irrigation and sprinklers
• Septic systems
• Swimming pool equipment & lines
• Electric and gas lanterns
• Propane tanks and lines
• Landscape lighting

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Who Can Mark My Private Lines?

For private or miscellaneous lines, you’ll need to contact a private locator service.
Here are a few options:

• GPRS – 469-332-6429
• Wood Inspection Services – 972-724-5550
• Baker-Peterson – 855-756-2283

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What If There Are Utility Markings Where I Want My Tree Planted?

When our delivery crew arrives, they will review your requested placement.
For safety, we cannot plant, remove trees, or excavate within 18 inches of any marked utility line.

Some customers choose to have us deliver the trees only and then arrange for a third party to handle planting. While those parties may not follow the same strict policies as Treeland, our crews must always comply.

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What Happens If Treeland Hits a Non-Hazardous Line (e.g., Sprinkler Pipe)?

The most common private utilities we encounter are sprinkler pipes and drip irrigation lines.

• It is the customer’s responsibility to decide whether to hire a professional locator to mark these private lines.
• We do not require private lines to be marked.

A casual mention of where you believe your lines are, pointing to sprinkler heads, or giving a general location is not sufficient. Those references don’t show the exact underground layout.

Responsibility

• If private utilities are not marked, or are marked incorrectly, Treeland cannot assume responsibility for repairs.
• If private utilities are correctly marked and still damaged, Treeland will take full responsibility for repairs or reimbursement.

Our crews are highly experienced and efficient, but there is always risk. In addition to planting, we also hammer in stakes to secure trees, and occasionally these may contact unmarked lines.

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Our Track Record

At Treeland, we plant around 7,000 trees each year. Thanks to TX811 markings and our policy of staying at least 18 inches from marked utilities, hazardous lines are almost always avoided.

• If a TX811 locator makes an error, the locator would be responsible.
• The challenge comes with private lines that are not marked.

To put it simply:

• You mark the private lines, and we hit them → Treeland pays for repairs.
• You don’t mark the private lines, and we hit them → The customer pays for repairs.

The good news is that most sprinkler repairs are relatively inexpensive, often costing less than hiring a private locator in the first place.

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What Happens If a Non-Hazardous Line Is Hit During Planting?

If our crew discovers a cut or broken non-hazardous utility while planting, they will:

1. Ask whether you’d like the tree moved to another location.
2. If not, the crew will return the tree to the farm until the repair is completed.

In either case, our crew will carefully expose the damaged utility so it can be accessed for repair. Please note this may leave the job temporarily unfinished.

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What If a Line Is Damaged but Not Noticed Until Later?

Occasionally, a utility line may be damaged without our crew realizing it.

If a stake is later found to have caused the issue, Treeland can return at no charge to help expose the damage so that you can coordinate repairs. Usually, the irrigation contractor you hire will also offer this as part of their service.

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Final Thoughts

Our strict Utilities Policy exists to protect both our crews and our customers. Without it, there would be no incentive for anyone to have private lines marked, leaving our team to shoulder the cost of every unmarked line.

While nobody wants a line to be hit, it can happen. When it does, we work quickly and fairly with our customers to resolve the situation.

If you have any questions about our policy, please don’t hesitate to reach out — we’re always happy to help.