With August 11 just around the corner, Gopher State One Call is using the 8-1-1 calendar date as a timely reminder to residents: Always contact 811 before starting any digging project to have underground utilities marked. Whether you’re installing a mailbox or breaking ground on a major construction project, contacting 811 helps prevent accidents, outages, and costly repairs.
Every few minutes, an underground utility line is damaged because someone digs without calling 811. Hitting a buried line can lead to serious consequences—from disrupting essential services to causing severe injury.
Striking a single utility line can cause repair costs, inconvenient outages, fines, severe injuries, and can even cause fatalities. Every digging project warrants contacting 811 by phone or online. From building a deck to planting a tree, every digging project requires a free 811 request at least a few days before breaking ground. Once you submit a locate request, you must wait for utility operators to mark the approximate location of their underground facilities.
By Minnesota law, utility operators have 48 hours to complete their locates, excluding the day the request is submitted, weekends, and legal holidays. The 48-hour waiting period begins at 12:01 a.m. on the day after your locate request is submitted. For example, if you submit a request on Tuesday, you may begin digging no earlier than 12:01 a.m. on Friday, provided all requested locates have been completed.
“On August 11—and every day—we remind homeowners and contractors to use 811 before they dig,” said Kelly Connolly, Chief Operations Officer at Gopher State One Call. “This simple step protects you, your property, and your entire community. It’s free, it’s fast, and it can prevent a life-changing mistake.”
Digging soon? Take these steps to stay safe and avoid unnecessary risks:
Contact 811 a few days in advance—no matter the size of your project or how well you know the property.
Plan ahead. Make your request early in the week for weekend projects.
Wait for utility lines to be marked and confirm that utilities have responded to your request before starting any digging.
Respect the marks and dig with care.
Double check that your contractor has contacted 811 if you’ve hired one. Never allow unmarked digging to begin.
To learn more about safe digging and to submit a request, visit GopherStateOneCall.org
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