First, you have to know that it’s virtually impossible to keep roots entirely away from pipes; you’d be looking at 30 to 50 feet away, which is the recommendation for a septic system. That’s just not realistic. But you never want to plant a tree directly above a pipe; it’s bound to send a taproot down, or some of the bigger roots will grow so close to the pipe that they’ll expand and burst the pipe over time. As for finding pipes, our technicians at Out of This World Plumbing can certainly come out and locate your underground system. Or you can call the utility company or the city’s sewer and water department; they’ll have specific street records on file.