Every April, Safe Digging Month is a reminder that contacting 811 before digging can prevent injuries, outages and costly damage. Yet excavation damage remains the leading cause of pipeline and utility incidents nationwide, often because of common misconceptions about what’s underground.
Quick answers about 811
- Do I need to contact 811 for small projects? Yes. If you’re putting a shovel, auger or post‑hole digger in the ground (mailboxes, shrubs, fence posts, sprinklers), contact 811 first.
- How long does it take? Submitting a locate request typically takes minutes. Marking is commonly completed in about two or three business days, but timing varies by state.
- Is it free? Yes. 811 locate requests are free.
- What if I’ve dug here before or it’s my property? Utilities can shift over time and may cross private land through utility easements.
Myth #1: “I’m just planting a shrub or installing a mailbox.”
Reality: Shallow digging can still hit buried utilities.
Utility lines aren’t always buried deep. In many cases, gas, electric, water or communications lines may be just inches below the surface. Even hand tools like shovels and post‑hole diggers are responsible for a significant number of utility strikes each year.
What to do: Contact 811 before every dig, large or small. Wait for lines to be marked, then dig carefully around the markings. It’s free, fast and required by law in many states.
Myth #2: “I’ve dug here before, so I know what’s underground.”
Reality: Underground conditions change over time. Soil erosion, grading, farming practices and new utility installations can all change the depth or location of buried lines. Even if you’ve worked the same field or property for years, what’s underground today may not match what was there the last time you dug.
What to do: Contact 811 before every dig, even in familiar areas, so you’re working from current markings and not memory.
Myth #3: “This is my property, so there won’t be utilities.”
Reality: Utilities frequently run through private property. Many underground utility lines cross private land through utility easements, including rural, agricultural and residential properties. New mainlines may also be installed without obvious surface clues, making it easy to underestimate what’s beneath your feet.
What to do: Don’t assume ownership means “no lines.” Utilities may cross private land through an easement (a legal right to place and access utility lines on part of a property). Contact 811 so buried utilities can be identified and marked before you dig.
Myth #4: “Calling 811 takes too long.”
Reality: Calling 811 saves time, money and lives. Submitting a locate request by phone or online typically takes just minutes. Utility operators generally have two to three business days to mark their lines, depending on state law. That small wait can prevent major delays, fines and costly repairs caused by accidental damage.
What to do: Build locate time into your schedule. Request markings early so you can dig safely and avoid delays caused by damage, repairs or outages.
Before you dig: a simple safety checklist
- Contact 811 a few days before you plan to dig.
- Wait for markings from utility operators (timelines vary by state).
- Respect the marks and dig carefully around them.
- When in doubt, stop and ask; don’t guess what’s underground.
This Safe Digging Month, make it a habit: Call 811 before you dig. Every dig. Every time.
Learn more at Call811.com.