Call Before You Dig

Laws in every state require commercial excavators and landowners to call 811 before digging to have underground utility lines located and marked. One free, easy call gets your utility lines marked AND helps protect landowners and contractors from injury, expense, and penalties. If you are a homeowner and have hired a contractor to perform excavation or landscaping work on your property, make sure your contractor places a call to 811 before the start of the job.

How it Works:

• Dial 811 a few days prior to digging to notify your local one-call center of your intent to dig. 
• A representative from your local one-call center will ask for the location and description of your digging project.
• Your local one-call center will then notify all affected utility companies, who will send a professional locator to the proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of your underground lines.
• The laws differ from state to state regarding the waiting period before excavation can take place. Refer to the one-call laws in your state for specific one-call waiting time requirements. 
• Once lines have been properly marked (usually by colored paint or flags), you can carefully dig around the marked areas.