Call 811 before you dig

Planting shrubs or trees? Putting up a basketball hoop or installing a mailbox? Building a deck, a fence, or pouring concrete for a patio? In all of these cases, you need to contact 811 before you start digging.

811 is a nationwide phone number that allows property owners to request buried utilities be marked before starting any digging project. This prevents accidentally hitting an underground utility line.

According to the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), there are more than 100 billion feet of underground utilities in the United States. These gas, electric, communications, water and sewer lines get damaged every 3 minutes from digging mishaps. Hitting a buried line can disrupt service, cost money to repair, and even cause serious injury or death.

811 is free and easy to use:

1. Three to four days before digging, either call 811 from anywhere in the U.S. or make a request through your state’s 811 website. 
2. Wait for someone to mark your underground lines, pipes and cables.
   
3. Start your project, staying clear of the marked lines.

When you dial 811, you will automatically be connected to a representative from your state. They'll ask you a few questions about your location and your digging project. You can also enter this information online. After completing the request, you will receive a ticket number and be told the expected response time, as well as how to confirm that all utilities have been marked before you can safely dig.

If you're going to dig, then yes, you need to contact 811. Even projects you might think are small, like planting flowers or installing a mailbox, require you to contact 811. Many utilities are buried just a few inches below ground, and you could easily hit a line when digging, even to plant small shrubs. Contact your 811 center every time you’re putting a shovel in the ground to keep yourself and your community safe.

Erosion and root growth can shift the locations of utility lines over time, and utility companies may have completed work on their lines since the last time you dug. So even if you've had your property marked previously, be sure to call 811 again, each and every time you are planning a new digging job.

State laws vary, but generally, utility companies have a few days to respond to your request. Utilities will send out locators, who will come to your dig site to mark the approximate location of buried utilities with paint or flags. Each utility type corresponds to a specific color of paint or a flag — for example, gas lines are marked with yellow. You must use the information on your ticket to wait and confirm that ALL utilities have marked the area before you dig.

If you want to start a project on a weekend, plan ahead. Put in your request to 811 early in the week to be sure everything is marked before you intend to begin.