1) Call
Be safe before digging: call the national “Call Before You Dig” hotline at 811 or
your specific state’s hotline.
What to Expect
A representative will take information about your project and notify the appropriate utility companies. They will then come to your site and mark any underground utility lines, including power and gas lines, communication cables, and water lines.
Why Call?
Hitting a buried utility cable may cause property damage, injury or death. Sometimes these lines are buried at a shallow depth. What’s more, the law requires anyone planning to do digging, blasting or tunneling work to have the utility lines at the site marked before beginning the job. Even seemingly simple tasks like installing a mailbox, planting a tree, or building a deck require a call to 811.
2) Dig
After utility representatives inspect your site and mark any underground utility lines, it’s safe to dig around them, but remember to excavate with care.
Location marks of underground utility cables have accuracy requirements which vary by state, ranging from 18 to 24 inches from the actual line.
Whether you’re a contractor, farmer or homeowner, know what’s below: call 811 before you dig.