Even small digging projects should be cleared with 811

Making a free call to 811 before digging for home improvement projects – including gardening, building a fence or installing a mailbox – can prevent damage to underground utility lines, and keep communities safe and connected to essential services. As Wisconsin residents’ attention begins turning toward outdoor DIY projects, April has been proclaimed as Safe Digging Month in Wisconsin.

This reminds Wisconsin residents of the vital step of contacting Diggers Hotline, by dialing 811 or going to DiggersHotline. com, before doing any excavation or digging work in the state.

Results of a survey released by the Common Ground Alliance, showed that 33 percent of Americans experienced a utility outage in 2020, and that of people planning to dig in 2021, 37 percent were planning on putting their communities at risk, by not contacting 811 before digging.

Not knowing the location of underground utilities before any digging work, can result in serious injuries, service disruptions and costly repairs. Contacting Diggers Hotline helps homeowners maintain their essential utility services, by reducing the likelihood of accidentally digging into buried utility lines.

When homeowners file a locate request with Diggers Hotline, the service then notifies appropriate utility companies of the project. The utility companies then send out professional locaters to mark any underground lines with flags or paint at the project site.

Regardless of project size, homeowners are required to contact Diggers Hotline three working days prior to any project that involves digging. Many common household projects, such as installing a fence or mailbox, laying a patio, or simply planting a tree or shrub, require a locate request first. Diggers Hotline services are free for Wisconsin’s homeowners and professional excavators.