Utility Locator

Under general supervision, the Line Locator receives and responds to utility locate requests and identifies, locates, and marks City-owned underground water, wastewater, reclaimed-water, electric and related Public Works infrastructure. The position researches utility records, operates electronic locating and field‑documentation equipment, communicates with excavators and property owners, and maintains accurate locate records to prevent utility damage, service interruptions, injuries, and environmental impacts.

The position also supports damage investigations, utility‑record updates, and emergency response.

The following duties are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or logically assigned to the position.

• Receives, reviews, prioritizes, and completes routine, emergency, update, recall, design, and damage‑related locate requests within applicable deadlines to support lawful excavation and prevent delayed or missed responses.
• Researches GIS data, as-built drawings, construction plans, service records, field notes, maps, and other available information before each locate to identify City-owned facilities that may be present in the proposed excavation area.
• Inspects the requested work area and communicates with excavators, contractors, property owners, and City staff to clarify the excavation limits and determine the safest and most accurate locating approach.
• Operates electronic utility locators, transmitters, receivers, sondes, tracer‑wire equipment, probing tools, GPS devices, and related equipment to determine the horizontal location and approximate path of underground City utilities.
• Identifies and marks water, wastewater, reclaimed‑water, electric and other assigned City facilities with approved paint, flags, stakes, or other methods using established APWA color standards to provide clear guidance for excavation activities.
• Verifies locate results against visible facilities, measurements, records, and field conditions and arranges or performs additional investigation when information conflicts to reduce the risk of inaccurate or incomplete markings.
• Documents each locate with required measurements, sketches, photographs, GPS coordinates, notes, timestamps, and ticket status and submits an accurate positive response to maintain a defensible record of the City's response.
• Rechecks, refreshes, or extends markings when tickets are updated or field conditions change to keep utility information visible and useful throughout authorized excavation activities.
• Monitors excavation near critical or difficult‑to‑locate City facilities and coordinates with utility crews or contractors when on‑site assistance is needed to protect infrastructure and support safe work.
• Responds to damaged, exposed, unmarked, or mismarked utility reports and assists with field investigation and documentation to support emergency response, repair decisions, and damage‑prevention review.
• Identifies missing, conflicting, or inaccurate utility records and submits field corrections and documentation to appropriate staff to improve GIS, mapping, and asset information for future locates.
• Establishes and maintains appropriate work zones, warning devices, and traffic‑control measures and follows applicable safety procedures to protect the employee, coworkers, contractors, motorists, and pedestrians.
• Inspects, tests, cleans, calibrates, charges, and securely stores locating devices, vehicles, safety equipment, paint, flags, and supplies to keep assigned resources safe, accurate, and ready for service.
• Maintains ticket logs, daily activity records, inventory, mileage, equipment records, and other…