Even though it's winter and your list of outside work may be limited to shoveling, emergencies that may require excavation can still arise.
As a homeowner you may be aware of Diggers Hotline for large excavation projects that dig deep, but do you realize that you need to
contact Diggers Hotline for projects that involve any digging in your yard? State law (Wisconsin statute 182.0175) requires everyone to contact Diggers Hotline
anytime the soil is disturbed. It is also important to be aware of the fact that you may be held liable for any damages to buried
utility lines if Diggers Hotline is not contacted before digging.
When it comes time to start that yard project you can call Diggers Hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, either by calling (800) 242-8511 or
by dialing
811, which will directly connect you to the call center. You can also submit your request through Email-A-Locate on
www.DiggersHotline.com.
Please note that there are no charges to individual customers for this service.
When you contact Diggers Hotline you will always be asked to provide certain information so please be prepared with the following information:
- Specify that you are a homeowner and provide your name, phone number and address
- The city, township, or village that you are planning to work in
- The street address of the work site
- The nearest intersecting road and the distance and direction from that road (this helps our representatives find the exact location on our maps)
- The kind of work that you plan to do (i.e. planting a tree or installing a fence)
- The date you plan to start work
- The area you would like to have marked for underground facilities on the property
Once you have put in your request you will be given a ticket number, which is your legal proof that you contacted Diggers Hotline, and you must wait three working
days before digging to allow proper time for all of the underground utility lines to be marked. After the three day waiting period you are then clear to dig; it is best to
stay a minimum of 18 inches away from the lines on either side, but the safest bet is to avoid any areas with buried facilities completely. If you must dig within 18
inches, dig with care using hand tools.
Diggers Hotline is an independent, free service for anyone doing excavation work,
that coordinates activities between excavators and utilities such as phone, electric,
cable, water and natural gas to mark dangerous and costly underground and overhead
utilities around homes and professional job sites. Over 1,100 utilities and other buried
facility owners are members of Diggers Hotline. Wisconsin state law requires all
excavators -- including homeowners and construction contractors -- to contact Diggers
Hotline at least three working days before starting any digging.
Diggers Hotline will process three types of calls: 1) excavation 2) planning of
excavation and 3) safe working clearance information for overhead lines. The
call center will ask for an address or location information. Specific marking
instructions also will need to be provided. Once the locate is completed, you
have ten calendar days to begin your excavation work before you must call to
have the underground facilities relocated.
Please work carefully to avoid unnecessary damage or expense!
- Review the markings before beginning your work. If it doesn't look right, please call 811 and ask for a relocate.
- You are responsible for maintaining surface markings. If the markings are destroyed, please call Diggers Hotline for a relocate.
- Use hand excavation within 18 inches of a marked by unexposed natural gas line or electric cable. Keep equipment clear of exposed or aboveground facilities.
- Inspect any exposed electric pipes or cables for damage. If facilities may have been damaged, please call Stoughton Utilities and we will inspect them promptly at no charge to you.
- If any damage does occur, stay clear and call Stoughton Utilities immediately to report the damage.
You can start a free locate request by contacting Diggers Hotline at
811 from any phone, or online at
www.DiggersHotline.com.
For more information on Wisconsin's Diggers Hotline program, please visit
the Diggers Hotline website.