It’s that time of year again! Sunday, August 11 (8/11) is National 811 Day. It’s an annual reminder to always contact 811 before starting any project that requires digging. Not only is contacting 811 the law, but it can potentially save you from expensive repairs, serious injuries or even death.
Once you have your outdoor project planned, call 811 to submit a locate request. You must submit your request at least two full business days before any excavation work can begin (not including the day of your request). Member utilities will then let you know once they have marked any underground cables or pipelines on your property – including gas, electric, cable and water.
Locating underground lines by 811 is completely free and, once completed, you will receive a “positive response” notification. Operators of underground utilities will provide a positive response regarding each locate request in the form of flags or markings around your excavation area or verification through a phone call, email or online portal notification.
And don’t assume underground lines run straight between marks – that’s why we have a “tolerance zone” around the markings. The tolerance zone is the area equal to the width of the underground utility plus the area extending 24" on either side of the utility. If no width is given for the utility, assume 2", and depths may vary. When excavation is necessary within the tolerance zone, hand-dig or use nonintrusive means to avoid damage to the underground line.
If you are having work performed by contractors that includes excavating, remind them to contact 811. Learn more about safe digging, including private underground lines on your property.
