Team of Utility Locators Helps Keep Omaha Safe

This August 11 marks the 30^th anniversary of safe digging with Nebraska 811. At Metropolitan Utilities District, we are proud to play a part in safe digging in our community.

Our locators are responsible for locating and marking underground water and gas lines for the public’s safety. Here at the District, we have a team of 32 employees who use specialized equipment to identify our underground gas and water lines. As the metro area undergoes many changes and new construction, the team ensures safe work in the community.

Steve Slezak has been with the District for 25 years. After starting in drafting, Steve became a utility locator himself from March 2002 until October 2008. In November 2019, Steve was promoted to manager, utility locating. Since 2019 the division has averaged an increase in tickets located by 8.4% each year. His goal for the division is continued safety of the employees and the public by focusing on damage prevention and 811 education.

Steve said he has always enjoyed locating because “it’s like putting a puzzle together.” He added, “The most essential part of locating is to keep the contractor, excavators and residents safe from gas and water damages that might affect their job site, business or home. Locating is the ‘tip of the spear’ and utility locating is on the frontlines of safety and damage prevention, and keeping people safe.”

Among the team of locators is Adam Sharp, who has been with the District for 15 years and started in Construction. He joined the utility locating division in 2022 and enjoys that his job allows him to be outside, interact with customers and see different sites daily.

Adam shared the most important part of his job is being accurate and having the “level of confidence to mark where the lines are.” Adam takes pride in building good rapport with contractors and having an open line of communication with them to ensure accuracy and keep our communities safe.

The utility locating division is essential to the District’s mission of providing safe, reliable and cost-effective natural gas and water services to the community.   

Contact Nebraska 811 before you dig!

Did you know many utilities are buried just a few inches below ground? You can easily hit a line when digging for simple gardening projects, like planting flowers or small shrubs. Submit a request at nebraska811.com or call 811 at least two business days (but no more than 10 business days) before excavating or disturbing the soil. The underground utilities in your excavation area will be located and marked free of charge.