How to find utility lines on your property

List every operator that serves the address

This is the step most people skip, and it is the one that causes strikes. A single suburban section can sit above assets owned by a lines company, a water authority, a gas distributor and two or three telecommunications carriers.

Pin your address on the map and UtilityFinder will list them for you, or work through the regional directory below.

Submit a beforeUdig enquiry

One enquiry sweeps every operator registered with the service, which covers a good share of the major networks. It is the fastest first move and it is free.

Chase the operators beforeUdig doesn't cover

Registration is voluntary, so the response you get back is not the whole picture. Councils, private site owners and some smaller networks need contacting directly. This is where a directory earns its keep.

Get the council property file for private services

Every network plan stops at your boundary or your point of supply. The pipes and cables across your own section only appear in as-built drawings lodged with building consents, which live in the council property file.

Have the site located and marked

Once the plans are in, a certified locator can detect and mark the actual runs on the ground. For any mechanical excavation, that step is not optional.