April is Safe Digging Month
April is recognized as National Safe Digging Month, reminding homeowners and professional excavators to call 811 before every digging project this spring, regardless of the size or depth.
In Illinois, the system for notifying underground utility companies before digging is JULIE. Putting up a fence, installing a mailbox post, building a deck or patio and planting trees and shrubs are all examples of projects that require a notification to JULIE first. This is a free service.
Here are five important steps before putting a shovel in the ground:
- Pre-mark the dig site with white paint or flags;
- Go to www.JULIEBeforeYouDig.com or call 8-1-1 anytime to submit your locate request;
- Wait the required amount of time (at least 3 days);
- Respect the marks;
- Dig with care.
JULIE’s agents are available to receive and process requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A free self-service option to submit a request is available online at www.JULIEBeforeYouDig.com.
Striking a buried utility line can cause injury, repair costs, penalties and inconvenient outages. Nationwide, more than 49.3 million American will put themselves, their families and their communities at risk by not contacting their local 811 Center before digging.
As Illinois’ free notification service to prevent underground utility line damages, JULIE is dedicated to keeping homeowners, landscapers, contractors, professional excavators and the entire community safe.