Marking utilities costs Gwinnett County $1 million annually

Planning to do a little landscaping? Need your utilities marked before construction begins? The county is required by law to provide free utility locating services. Gwinnett commissioners on Feb. 2 approved an annual contract for $994,380 to low bidder, HighTech Engineering Inc. to provide these locating services.

This is an operational contract that ensures compliance with the Public Service Commission’s enforcement of the Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act. This contract provides 24 hour, 7 day per week utility locating services. The contractor determines the correct response to each ticket and when required, locates and marks each water, sewer and fiber utility.

The contractor is responsible for late fees, damage fees and fines imposed by the Public Service Commission and any repair cost due to mismarked or non-located utilities.