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PROPERTY ASSET OWNERS & MANAGERS

A unified standard for managing buried infrastructure responsibly and reducing liability.

Why Property Asset Owners Need Private Utility Infrastructure Standards

Commercial and industrial property owners are legally responsible for buried utility infrastructure beyond the public demarcation point. On private property, undocumented facilities, incomplete as-built records, and inconsistent private locate practices create significant exposure to damages, service interruptions, and liability risk during ground disturbance.

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Property owners and managers need NAPUA because:

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  • Public 811 systems do not identify any privately owned facilities on their land

  • Most as-builts and drawings are incomplete, outdated, or missing

  • Owners are responsible for ensuring safe ground disturbance on their property

  • Unexpected outages and repairs cause business interruption, tenant issues, and operational delays

  • Without standards, owners cannot evaluate locator quality or contractor performance

  • Liability increases when risk, limitations, and unknowns are not documented properly

 

NAPUA closes this missing link by shifting mindsets from “reacting to damages” to proactively managing buried infrastructure risk.

How NAPUA Helps Property Owners & Managers

NAPUA provides property owners with the structure and clarity needed to manage buried infrastructure responsibly and support safe ground disturbance on their sites.

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NAPUA helps by:

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  • Establishing a unified framework for excavation risk on private property

  • Providing clear expectations for private locators and contractors

  • Offering tools to verify locate coverage and documentation completeness

  • Defining risk-classification levels to guide owner decision-making

  • Reducing preventable damages, outages, and operational disruptions

  • Supporting long-term buried infrastructure management

What Property Owners Gain as NAPUA Members

  • Access to NAPUA Best Practices and Guidelines for private property

  • A defined standard to evaluate contractors and private locators

  • Templates for risk assessment, excavation controls, and due diligence

  • Improved coordination and communication between all stakeholders

  • Greater defensibility when damages occur

  • Long-term clarity for facility management across multiple sites

NAPUA Services for Property Owners & Managers

  • Owner-level excavation and ground disturbance training

  • Policies and templates for excavation controls and approval workflows

  • Risk-classification tools tailored to private property

  • Guidance for defining owner risk tolerance and critical zones

  • Standardized procedures for reviewing locate reports

  • Support for implementing safe ground disturbance programs

CALL TO ACTION

Ready to bring structure, clarity, and accountability to the buried infrastructure on your property?
Join NAPUA and adopt the standard designed to protect private property across North America.

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