Line locates in Saskatchewan now valid for 30 days

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SaskEnergy service technician performing a line locate.

Effective January 1, 2023, line locates in Saskatchewan are valid for 30 calendar days, up from 10 business days.

A line locate involves the use of flags, stakes or paint to mark the location of buried utility lines. Line locates are available free of charge to help you plan safe digging activities.

Having a longer expiry period provides more flexibility when planning projects projects and aligns Saskatchewan with other provinces and jurisdictions that already use a 30-day window for line locates. 

To request a line locate online, visit the Sask 1st Call website.

An example of a line locate

Maintaining locate marks

While line locates are now valid for a longer period of time, this applies only if the marks are maintained. It is your responsibility to maintain the marks of your line locate. You will require a new line locate if the markings have been removed or obscured. 

Maintaining the marks means keeping them in a good condition by not covering the paint marks with dirt, scraping them away or moving the flags. The paint used for line locates is designed to last 30 days or more. 

There are many ways to maintain your line locate marks, but a few of the best ways are: 

  • Take a photo of the marks to visually make sure nothing is missing over time.
  • Stand flags up and ensure they are firmly in place.
  • Place supplementary survey stakes or marks along the path of the line locate.
  • Measure and note offsets to other permanent objects.

The Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance recommends maintaining the marks of your line locate within 14 days of the locate occurring.

Don’t take chances! Click before you dig! 

Remember, getting a line locate is free and the consequences of hitting a gas line are serious. Even a nick to the coating of a steel pipe or a scratch on a plastic pipe can increase the risk of a leak.