LG&E and KU encourage everyone to use Kentucky 811 before digging
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — April is National Safe Digging Month and Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company are encouraging everyone to dig safe every time by using Kentucky 811.
Kentucky 811 is a free statewide computer-operated communication service that coordinates with member utilities to have underground utility lines marked. Whether the job is done by a professional or a weekend warrior, as big as a pool or as small as a shrub, having lines marked before a digging project is the law. Using the service helps protect the public; avoid costly repairs and fines; and guards against the potential for disrupting service to an individual or entire neighborhood. When lines are properly marked in advance, the odds for avoiding dig-in dangers improves by 99%.
If you’re planning a digging project that involves moving dirt this spring or any time of year, once you’ve planned your project, follow the steps below.
- Contact 811 — Those with digging projects should contact 811 to submit a request at least two business days in advance. Contact options include dialing 811, visiting the website Kentucky811.org or by using the new Kentucky 811 app available in the Apple store and on Google Play.
Excavators are encouraged to mark the area where digging will occur with white paint before contacting the service. Doing so helps utility locators focus on accurately marking underground utilities within just the excavation area.
- Wait for the thumbs up — After a locate request is made, crews either mark their underground facilities with flags or paint or notify you if there are no underground lines in your excavation area. Red markings are for electric lines; orange lines are for communication lines; yellow indicates gas lines; green is for sewers and drain lines; blue is for drinkable water lines; purple is for irrigated water lines. Operators of underground utilities will provide a response regarding each locate request in the form of flags or markings around your excavation area or verification through a phone call, email, mail, fax or online portal notification.
- Dig with care — Leave at least 24 inches on all sides of the underground utility line and equipment markings to ensure damage to the line is avoided.
LG&E is a Kentucky 811-member utility across its entire service territory; KU is a member utility in most of the Kentucky counties it serves. KU customers can visit KU's Call Before You Dig web page or call 800-981-0600 to determine if they are required to contact KU directly to have underground electric lines marked or if they can submit their request to 811 to have all underground lines, including electric, marked.
Visit lge-ku.com/safety for more important safety tips, resources and information including a special section for excavators.
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Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies, are regulated utilities that serve more than 1.3 million customers and have consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. LG&E serves 333,000 natural gas and 429,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. KU serves 566,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lge-ku.com and www.pplweb.com.
