An excavator operator is trenching for a new water main. They have called for locates, and all utilities have been marked. The operator notices a section of the trench where the soil looks disturbed, and there's an old, unmarked, non-metallic conduit visible that wasn't indicated on the locate diagrams. What should the operator do?

Question: An excavator operator is trenching for a new water main. They have called for locates, and all utilities have been marked. The operator notices a section of the trench where the soil looks disturbed, and there's an old, unmarked, non-metallic conduit visible that wasn't indicated on the locate diagrams. What should the operator do?

Answer options:

• Carefully excavate around the conduit, assuming it's abandoned and non-hazardous. ✅ Contact their supervisor and the 'Click Before You Dig' service to report the unmarked utility and request clarification or additional investigation.
• Cut through the conduit to maintain the trench alignment, as it's unmarked.
• Bypass the conduit entirely, even if it means changing the trench path significantly, to avoid potential issues.

Correct answer: Contact their supervisor and the 'Click Before You Dig' service to report the unmarked utility and request clarification or additional investigation.

Explanation: Any unmarked utility, regardless of its apparent nature, must be treated with caution. The correct procedure is to stop work, report the finding to a supervisor, and contact the 'Click Before You Dig' service to investigate the unmarked utility. Cutting or bypassing without knowing its function could be dangerous or costly. Assumptions about abandonment are unsafe.