What is 811?
811 is the phone number you should call before digging on your property to protect yourself and others from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines.
Millions of miles of utility lines are buried underground. And many of these lines are vital to everyday living. This free service can help you avoid injury, expense, embarrassment and the inconvenience of going without critical services such as electricity or water.
How does it work?
When you call 811, your call is routed to a local call center. Simply explain to the operator where you’re planning to dig. The operator will notify all area utilities about your intent to dig. Within a few days, these utilities will send locators to your site to mark the approximate location of buried lines with flags or paint.
Remember, it’s safe to dig around the markings, but never on top of them.
When to call?
Call 811 for every digging project, no matter how small. That includes planting a flowerbed, building a deck, putting in a fence or installing a mailbox. Utilities could be buried just a few inches below the ground.