LG&E and KU join in observance and encourage everyone to know what’s below
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Each year, the country marks National Safe Digging Day on Aug. 11. This year, just as every year, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company are using the observance to remind customers and excavators of all types to know what’s below before they begin digging for any project — large or small. And the utilities are asking everyone to help spread the word!
Why?
Knowing what’s below is critical because buried underground are utility lines for things like electric and other conduit, natural gas, water, sewer, cable and communications. Hitting one of those underground utility lines puts the excavator and members of the public at risk and can result in costly damage. That’s why having lines marked before a digging project is the law. And if it’s not followed, it can be punishable by hefty fines.
How 811 works
- Contact Kentucky 811 – Contact Kentucky 811 at least two business days in advance of your project (not including the day you make the request). You can submit your request by phone (dial 8-1-1) or online at Kentucky811.org. Both options are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The work is performed at no cost.
- Submit your locate request – Once the request is submitted, 811 will issue a "locate request" to member utilities, including those who provide natural gas, electric, telephone, cable, sewer and/or water service.
- Mark the project area – Though it’s not required, marking the outside of the project area with white lines helps utility locators focus on accurately marking underground utilities within just the excavation area.
- Wait for a ‘positive response’ - After submitting a locate request, wait for a positive response before you start digging. A positive response will be in the form of colorful flags or markings around your excavation area or verification via phone, email, mail, fax, or online portal notification. You will also be notified if there are no underground lines in the area.
- Dig with Care – Leave at least 24 inches on all sides of the underground utility line and equipment markings.
When lines are properly marked in advance, the odds for avoiding dig-in dangers improves by 99%.
If planting trees or plants
When planting trees and shrubs, pay close attention to their full-grown height and root-depth estimations. While it may not look intrusive now, root growth can damage foundations and damage underground utility lines if planted too closely. Trees and tree debris coming in contact with overhead power lines are a major cause for power outages.
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 Safe Digging 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 334,000 natural gas and 433,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. KU serves 569,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lge-ku.com and www.pplweb.com.
