Do-it-yourself homeowners need to call before digging

By TERRY SALMELA
Extension Educator
Posted 5/22/03

Would you partake in any activity where you pose a high risk to yourself and your family of danger in the form of explosion, electrocution, or at the very least, will cost you hundreds of dollars? Most of us would give a strong "NO!" to that question. Yet, most of us won't think twice before putting a shovel in the ground to plant that tree or rent a skid loader for a weekend for a landscaping project.

Our nation has seen more of a 'do-it-yourself' trend this last decade. We are saving money by not hiring a contractor to add a deck or even plant a tree. Most of us are sure that we covered all of our bases; we heard about calling before you dig, but think that doesn't apply to us because we are only scraping the sod or digging a few feet. There is no way that any utility could be that shallow, right? WRONG!

Utility installation is only regulated at the time of installation. So after years of freeze and thaw, erosion, or even a previous owner¹s remodeling the lawn, the depth of all utilities could be affected. Simply digging with a shovel can seriously damage utilities. Surprisingly, it doesn't take much for a 150 pound person to cut through a telephone or cable line.

The easiest way to protect yourself and the utilities underground is to call before you dig! One call to Gopher State One Call will get all of your public utilities marked such as cable TV, phone, water, sewer, electric and gas. Be aware that if you have a privately installed line such as a pool heater, gas grill or electric/phone line from the house to a detached outbuilding, it will NOT be located by the utility. These private underground facilities are the homeowner's responsibility.

Planning ahead and knowing what is underground on your property will save you time and money in the long run. Once a call is made to Gopher State One Call, the utilities have 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, to mark their facilities on your property. They will use paint and/or flags in the color assigned by the American Public Works Association. These colors are important to remember, they are: Red = Electric; Blue = Water; Orange = Telecommunications; Green = Sewer; Yellow = Gas.

After you have waited the 48 hours and are ready to begin your project, hand dig two feet on either side of the markings to expose and find that facility underground. Visually inspecting the facility is the only way to properly know its depth.

What sorts of projects require a call? If you are a new homeowner and are not familiar with your property, it would be wise to call before starting any type of project. If you are tilling an existing garden or planting bulbs in an area you have planted before, calling is not necessary, but always an option if