Who should be called before digging?

Before digging, call the number 811. This is the U.S. federally designated phone number that anyone digging a hole is required to call prior to digging.

Calling 811 is free and should be done several days prior to the start of any project that involves digging into the ground. Water, electricity and natural gas lines are buried beneath the earth, and hitting these lines can be catastrophic and costly to both the local government and the person who hits them. When 811 is called and informed of the location of a potential dig site, they send the local utility company to mark the location of these lines so that hitting them can be avoided.