In Montana, which organization is responsible for utility location prior to digging?

• A. Local utility companies
• B. Montana One Call (811) or licensed utility locator services
• C. Montana One Call (811)
• D. Montana Department of Transportation

Answer: (B)

Before you dig in Montana, you must arrange a locate of underground utilities through Montana One Call (811) or a licensed utility locator service. Montana One Call serves as the statewide call-before-you-dig center. You submit a locate request, and they notify all potential buried utility owners in the area. Those utilities then come out and mark their lines with paint or flags, so you know exactly where it’s safe to dig. This centralized system protects people from injury and prevents costly damage or outages by ensuring every possible buried facility is located.

Using a licensed utility locator service is also acceptable because a professional can perform the locate work for you, which is particularly helpful on complex sites or when you’re working on private property. The important idea is that you obtain proper locate information from an authorized source before excavation.

Local utility companies alone aren’t the sole mechanism for a comprehensive locate, and the Department of Transportation doesn’t handle underground utility marking. That’s why the standard practice is to contact 811 or hire a licensed locator to ensure all buried facilities are identified before digging.