March 2025 Vol. 80 No. 3
Editor's Log
Editor’s Log: Old problems, redux
By Robert Carpenter, Editor-in-Chief
(UI) — I read an interesting story recently in a local newspaper (yes, I said newspapers, they do still exist – thank goodness). Katy, Texas, is placing a temporary halt to fiber optics installation due, largely, to perceived damage to water lines. I live in this area, so the article was of particular interest to me.
As various citizens have complained to the city, fiber optic installation projects have damaged 16 water lines in the past six months and there have been other “close calls.” The Katy mayor, in justifying the moratorium, claims the sole purpose of this halt of progress was to “ensure the safety and reliability of our city's infrastructure. The repeated damage caused by fiber installations has led to unacceptable disruptions for our residents and businesses.”
Fiber optics companies working in Katy will now be required to sign a contract with the city before digging. The moratorium measure was unanimously approved, and the council plans to pass an ordinance outlining construction protocols for future projects.
The city alleges that without an ordinance in place, companies can dig into easements without knowing where water lines are located, leading to broken pipes and drawn-out insurance claim process. One council member even claimed that residents have been without water for extended periods of time due to these out-of-control fiber optic contractors.
The moratorium is designed to allow Katy time to draft an ordinance dictating how and where companies dig. The ordinance will require companies to coordinate with the city to ensure water lines are properly marked before digging begins, and will also require companies to have enough accessible funds to pay for damages immediately.
The stories didn’t indicate what method of construction was being used – I suspect a lot of directional drilling, piercing tools and even micro-trenching.
And of course, the mayor and city council assume that since contractors are installing conduit through rights-of-way, it’s all their fault. Never mind the fact Uncle Fred was illegally digging a new garden along the back fence without first calling 811 to get utilities located. And he hit a water pipe, creating a small split that steadily got bigger.
Any digging requires contacting your 811 center, either by calling 811 from anywhere in the U.S. or making the request through your state 811 center’s website. Planting a garden? Installing a fence or mailbox? You must contact 811. After decades living in this area, I rarely have witnessed anyone following safety protocols. I doubt that proper protocols are being followed in the city. Consequently, right or wrong, contractors are shouldering the blame. And Katy is not alone. We’ll find this scenario in Anytown, USA.
But perhaps the worst problem is that the city doesn’t locate water and sewer utilities before construction like sane and savvy utilities (gas and electric companies). Typically, professional locating companies do a decent job of locating your cable television wire or telephone (if you’re one of the diminishing homes that still has a traditional land line). Often, these same companies are hired by gas and power companies, as well.
Unfortunately, it’s still not a perfect solution, and some mistakes are made, but by and large it works. For a variety of reasons, over the years, cities have avoided providing locating for construction. But increasingly, there is pressure to change the illogical and unfair situation.
Situations like this are not new: just unresolved from decades ago. A city makes a knee jerk reaction, while contractors fail to adhere to best practices. The industry went through this exact scenario in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
The other side of the coin is that it’s entirely possible that poorly trained contractors, in too much of a hurry to complete the fiber buildout, don’t take proper procedures to minimize risks and damage prevention. The pressure to complete competitive fiber systems has become the new Wild West of construction – again. Frequently, HDD installation is involved. And Cowboy Contractors, in their rush to make a profit with a rookie crew, push the envelope. Hitting a water line is the least of their concern.
For residents, it’s drilling through a gas line or nicking a power line that results not just in damage, but extreme danger for all those in the area that’s become the primary risk. And what about creating more crossbores through the water, sewer and gas lines which establish ticking timebombs?
The good news is there is a new sheriff in town. The Horizontal Directional Drilling Association has stepped up with training and protocols for drillers, new and old, large and small. Towns have the option of insisting that contractors working within city limits must be part of the association and adhere to their rules of safe practices and low-risk culture. At the very least, contractors should adhere to Common Ground Alliances protocols.
Keeping the construction crews working in a safe manner and low-risk environment is far superior to shutting down progress. In lieu of repeating mistakes from the past, cities must step up and start identifying their underground utilities and contractors must take a step back from their rush, and follow safe, minimal risk, low danger construction protocols.
The value of fiber to a community is quantifiably one of the best opportunities a city, no matter its size, has for competing and remaining financially viable for its citizenry in this still-evolving digital age. City councils and angry mayors need to ponder the big picture before declaring war on your community’s future.
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