For your safety and the safety of others, always have underground utilities located by calling 811, the national “Call Before You Dig” telephone number, prior to every excavation made in the United States. Making this call will result in a damage-free excavation 99 percent of the time, according to industry studies.
811 is a free, nationwide number designed to keep you safe when digging or excavating.* Calling 811 is a simple process and is always the safest option anytime you are moving dirt. You can visit call811.com to find out if online locate requests can be made for the state where you will be working.
Two to three business days before excavating (depending on state laws), simply make a call to 811 with important details about your project, including:
Professional locators will mark underground utilities with flags or paint so that you can conduct your work around them, saving yourself from potential injury or property damage.
Did you know? 811 is a free service.
Calling 811 to have pipelines and utilities located is an important step in protecting yourself and those around you. There is always a risk of striking a pipeline or other underground utility, even if you think you know or can identify what might be present buried in the area of excavation.
Did you know? It’s never safe to assume the depth of pipelines
Did you know? Striking a pipeline while digging can harm more than your bank account
Although the regulations for digging and one call, or excavation notification differ slightly, each state does require one call notification two to three business days prior to the start of digging or other soil-disturbing activity.
Did you know? 811 isn't just for digging projects—call 811 before any soil-disturbing activities, which include but are not limited to:
Call 811 before you dig
Allow required time for markings
Respect the marks
Excavate carefully
* Calling 811 is free, but locates may be subject to fees in some states and situations, such as locating private utilities.
