Know What’s Below – Call Before You Dig

By Traci Read, Senior Editor | April 2010 Vol. 65 No. 4

Don't gamble with your safety — if you're a professional excavator or a homeowner, smart digging always requires a call to 811. Knowing where underground utility lines are buried before you dig will help protect you from injury and prevent damages to utilities, service disruptions and potential fines and repair costs.

The depth of utility lines varies, and there may be multiple utility lines in one common area. Marked lines show you the approximate location of underground lines and help prevent undesired consequences such as injury, service disruptions to an entire neighborhood, or costly fines and repair costs.

The national 811 number will not replace your local one call number. The One Call process will remain the same and continue to notify your local affected utility companies, who will continue to mark your underground lines for free. With more than 62 local one call numbers across the country, 811 eliminates the confusion of multiple "Call Before You Dig" numbers by providing one national number you can call to get your lines marked. A complete list of local service numbers are provided here for fast, easy reference.

ALABAMA
Alabama One Call
800-292 8525
205-252-4444
al1call.com

ALASKA
Alaska Digline
800-478 3121
907-278-3121
akonecall.com

ARIZONA
Arizona Blue Stake
800-782 5348
602-263-1100
azbluestake.com

ARKANSAS
Arkansas One Call
800-482 8998
501-328-2545
arkonecall.com

CALIFORNIA
Underground Service Alert North
800-227 2600
usanorth.org

Underground Service Alert South
800-227 2600
digalert.org

COLORADO
Utility Notification Center of Colorado
800-922 1987
303-232-1991
uncc2.org

CONNECTICUT
Call Before You Dig
800-922 4455
cbyd.com

DELAWARE
Miss Utility
800-257-7777
missutility.net

FLORIDA
Sunshine State One Call of Florida
800-432 4770
386-576-2025
callsunshine.com

GEORGIA
Utilities Protection Center
800-282 7411
770-623-4344
gaupc.com

HAWAII
Utility Notification Center
866-423-7287
digsafelyhawaii.com

IDAHO
Dig Line
800-342-1585

208-342-1585
digline.com

ILLINOIS
JULIE
800-892 0123
illinois1call.com

DIGGER (Chicago Utility Alert Network)
312-744 7000
cityofchicago.org/transportation

INDIANA
Indiana Underground Plant Protection Service
800-382 5544
iupps.org