14 www.alliancecom.net To protect these valuable lines, you’re required to call 811 before any digging project—including common ones like planting trees and shrubs or installing fences and mailboxes—to have underground utilities located and marked. The goal is to avoid serious problems that can result when digging takes place on unmarked property. According to Common Ground Alliance, telecommunications facilities accounted for nearly half of reported damages in 2023, followed by natural gas at about 40%. Utility lines can be buried just inches below the surface of your yard. That’s why it’s important to have hidden lines marked prior to any digging. Accidental damage to an underground utility line can cause inconvenient disruptions to your service, require costly repairs, or even inflict bodily harm. Here are the steps to take before you dig: 1. Contact 811. 811 is the national call-before-you-dig number. Every yard project that requires digging, no matter how big or small, warrants a quick call to 811. Calling this number connects you to your local one-call utility notification center and/or you can check out your state 811 center website by visiting call811.com/811-In-Your-State. 2. Gather the necessary information. Beyond giving the address of where you plan to dig, you’ll also be asked to provide the county and nearest cross street, as well as the type of project and the area on the property where you’re planning to dig. Requesting that the approximate location of buried utilities be marked with paint or flags will save you from unintentionally digging into an underground utility line. 3. Plan ahead. Remember to call 811 or input a request online several business days prior to digging, even for common projects like planting trees or installing fences. The specific amount of advance notice that you are required to provide varies by state. 4. Keep track of your ticket. Upon your request, you will receive a ticket number and specific instructions for when utilities must respond, as well as how to receive confirmation that you can begin digging. Always Call 811 Before You Dig April is National Safe Digging Month and a reminder to do your part The United States has around 20 million miles of underground utility lines including those for water, power, and communications. This is more than one football field’s length of buried utilities for every person in the country.
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