When locating underground utilities, we may occasionally designate a utility to an unknown termination point. We will label this as EOI (End of Information). We will label this in paint on the ground, as well on any sketch, report, or drawing deliverable we provide. We use this term because it accurately describes the situation.
When locating utilities, we apply a traceable signal to a conductor on the utility. Sometimes this is a ground cable, or ground shielding around a cable. Other times, the metallic conductor could be the utility itself, as is the case with ductile and cast iron water pipes. In other situations, we may apply a signal to a conductor that has been installed with the non-metallic utility, such as a tracer wire commonly installed with plastic gas pipes. In any instance, if the conductor abruptly ends or transitions into another type of material, we will loose tracing signal. The point at which the signal is lost, and cannot be re-established with other tactics, connection points, or equipment is known as an EOI. It is the point at which Utility Locator, LLC could not obtain any further information on the utility using all available an reasonable means.
EOI’s are not all that uncommon. Broken tracer cable on gas systems, and sections of plastic pipe in a primarily ductile pipe system will all produce EOIs. Additionally, drastic changes in elevation or utility depth can also produce EOI points.
An EOI is depicted by Utility Locator as a circle at the end of a line. There will occasionally be a dot located in the center of the circle, as the dot represents the final reading that could be collected on the utility line.
