dlhoule--You make a very good point, but you cannot bury anything a half inch below the ground. Once something is 'direct-buried' (as opposed to indirect-buried) 300.5(A) kicks in and the appropriate depth for the situation kicks in. Unless under a building, the minimum depth would be 4".
What makes me wonder is that service conductors that are buried less than 18" below grade do not need a warning ribbon, but 18" or more does. What sense does that make? 300.5(D)--Protect the person digging a large hole, but the poor gardener can get fried?
