Trenching

Customers must provide all trenches along private roads, rights-of-way, county roads and state highways. Trenches provided by the customer or contractor must meet the following requirements. Trench Specifications

• Customer shall call the Mason County PUD No. 3 superintendent to schedule their job after the proposal has been accepted and a work order released. PUD 3 will notify the customer when the work order has been released. (Please provide the PUD with a daytime phone number.)
• As required by law, the customer shall call for Underground Utility Locates at least 48 hours prior to digging: 1-800-424-5555. Once marked the excavator is responsible for maintaining the markings.
• Trenches should be an adequate width for the installation as determined by the PUD. The trench shall be a minimum of 3 feet deep. The bottom of the trench shall be level and free from all obstructions.
• The trench should not be dug prior to scheduling with the PUD 3 superintendent. Trenching within two feet of primary cable must be done by hand with PUD crew on site.
• It shall be the customer’s responsibility to ensure the customer provided trench is on the customer’s private property or within an existing easement for utilities. The customer shall assume all responsibility for installations that require relocation resulting from trenching that is not within an existing easement or on the customer’s private property.
• A backhoe and operator must be on site at the time of power installation to backfill the ditch when installation is complete.
• PUD 3 will install the primary cable in the ditch and the customer shall cover the cable with at least 1 foot of select backfill prior to the cable being energized. Backfill will usually be selected from material excavated from ditch.
• The customer may then backfill the remaining ditch. Clearances between district cables and other conductors, cables, or pipes shall not be less than 1 foot.
• If the trenching is on Mason County, city of Shelton, or Washington state right-of-way; and if the trenching is not provided by a contractor on the PUD 3 list of pre-qualified small works contractors, special arrangements will be required to be made with the PUD Engineering Department. Trenching in Mason County, city of Shelton, or Washington state right-of-way shall conform to specifications, locations and distances specified in county, city of Shelton, or state road permit.

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