Autumn Blaze Maple Planting...Underground Lines?

[DKAudio]

I am going to plant a tree in the front yard (no trees as of now). It will be an Autumn Blaze Maple which grows 40-50' and 40' round. It grows to be pretty big so the root system will be huge once the tree is mature. Therefore, I have water and gas lines underground that concern me. The power lines are overhead in the back so I don't need to worry about that. My gas meter is about 1/3 in the yard from the driveway on the front. They came out and marked that, they run right down straight from the street. The water lines are not marked yet but I think they are on the other side of the yard. How far away should a tree that grows that big be from those two lines? Should this even concern me? Thanks

[Cyberwolf]

I wouldn't worry about the fresh water line as long as you don't hit it while digging. Water lines are down pretty far so it shouldn't be a problem and roots don't usually bother fresh water lines anyway. As for the sewer line, some guys say it is good to keep trees as far away as possible from your sewer line to prevent roots from finding their way into the line someday when the tree gets much bigger. Roots in the line can cause a sewer line to get plugged up year after year and it somtimes can be a huge problem depending on what type of line you have.

I planted a large maple practically right on top of my sewer line and I'm not too worried because I have a newer house with a very tight plastic drain line all the way out to the street. I don't have a very big front yard so I figured no matter where I planted the tree there would be some risk but I certainly wouldn't go without the tree just because I am worried about tree roots in the sewer someday.