April is National Safe Digging Month
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) – Spring projects are underway across Kentucky and Virginia, but before homeowners or contractors pick up a shovel, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company urge them to take one critical step: contact 811 to have underground utilities marked. April is National Safe Digging Month, a reminder that calling 811 before digging is essential for safety, service reliability and legal compliance.
Digging without knowing what’s beneath the surface can lead to serious consequences. Striking an underground utility line can result in costly repairs, service outages, fines, and potentially severe injuries or fatalities. By contacting 811, property owners and contractors can have trained professionals mark the approximate locations of underground utility lines—free of charge—before any digging begins.
“Whether the project is large or as simple as planting a bush or installing a mailbox post, calling 811 before digging helps protect lives, property and critical infrastructure,” said Tom Rieth, Vice President of Gas Operations.
How 811 Works
Submitting a locate request is easy and required by law. Once a project is planned, residents must submit a request at least two full business days before digging begins, excluding the day the request is made.
After a request is submitted, 811 notifies member utilities—such as natural gas, electric, telephone, cable, water and sewer providers—to mark the approximate locations of their underground lines using color coded flags or paint. For accuracy, homeowners are encouraged to mark the proposed digging area with white paint prior to locating.
Update for KU Customers
Beginning January 1, 2026, all KU customers and excavators working within KU’s service territory—in all 77 counties served by KU—can contact Kentucky 811 to have underground electric lines marked before digging. This update eliminates the need for some customers and contractors to contact KU directly, streamlining the process statewide.
Positive Response and Digging Safely
Before digging begins, all utilities listed on the locate request must provide a “positive response,” confirming that lines have been marked or that no underground facilities are present. These responses are communicated via email or online portal notification.
Even after receiving clearance, digging must be done with care. Utility lines do not always run in straight paths, and their depth can vary. The tolerance zone includes the width of the underground utility plus an additional 24 inches on each side. Digging directly on marked lines is prohibited.
If excavation is required within the tolerance zone, only hand tools or other non-intrusive methods may be used.
For additional information about safe digging practices, visit lge-ku.com/811.
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Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) and its companies, are regulated utilities that serve nearly 1.4 million customers and have consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. LG&E serves 336,000 natural gas and 443,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. KU serves 581,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and 28,000 in five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lge-ku.com and www.pplweb.com.
