April is National Safe Digging Month
Are you planning some new bushes or thinking about replacing the old mailbox post when spring arrives? Since April is National Safe Digging Month, this is your friendly reminder that for any outdoor project that makes you move dirt, you must contact 811 before you dig – visit Kentucky 811 or dial 8-1-1. Why? To see if where you are digging has any underground utility lines. It’s also the law.
Submit a locate request
Once you have your outdoor project planned, dial 8-1-1 or visit Kentucky 811 if you are a Kentucky resident to submit a ‘locate request’ online. You must submit your request at least two full business days (excluding the day the request is made) before any digging can begin. When you submit your request, 811 will issue a locate request to member utilities, including those who provide natural gas, electric, telephone, cable, water, and/or sewer service. This is a free service! We also recommend you mark the area where you plan to dig with white paint if you can, so line locators know where you plan to excavate.
Positive response
Before you can dig, you must receive a ‘positive response’ from all the utilities that will be listed on you locate request. A positive response can be in the form of colorful flags or markings around your excavation area or verification via phone, email, mail, fax, or online portal notification. They will also let you know if there are no underground lines in the area.
Dig with care
Once you have confirmed that you have received a positive response from all utilities, you can begin to dig with care. Don’t assume a pipeline or cable runs straight between the marks or flags – and that’s why we have a ‘tolerance zone’ around them. The tolerance zone is the area equal to the width of the underground utility plus the area extending 24” on either side of the utility. If no width is given for the utility, assume 2”, and depths may vary. When excavation is necessary within the tolerance zone, hand-dig or use non-intrusive means to avoid damage to the underground line.