Spring has arrived, bringing the perfect time for outdoor projects!
April is National Safe Digging Month, and the district emphasizes the importance of contacting 811 before starting any digging project. If you’re planning to dig—whether for landscaping, fence installation, or construction—contacting 811 at least three business days in advance allows utility companies to mark the locations of buried lines, reducing the risk of accidents, service disruptions, or injuries. Stay safe—know what’s below before you dig!
What is 811?
811 is the national number designated by the Federal Communications Commission to help protect homeowners and professional excavators from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines while working on digging projects – large and small.
Why Contact 811?
Every digging project requires contact to 811. Digging without knowing the approximate location of underground utilities can result in serious injuries, inconvenient service disruptions and costly repairs when gas, electric, communications, water and sewer lines are damaged.
When should I contact 811?
- Installing a mailbox
- Putting in a fence
- Planting trees or shrubbery
- Building a patio or deck
- Excavating a new garden area
How does 811 work?
- Call or go to Colorado 811 online at least three business days prior to digging to start the process of getting underground utility lines marked for free.
- When you contact 811 from anywhere in the state, a representative from Colorado 811 will answer your request. The Colorado 811 representative will ask you for the location and description of your digging job, and will notify affected utility companies, who will then send a professional locator to the proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of their lines within a few days of your request.
- Once all underground lines in the area have been marked, you can dig safely.
District staff locate water (blue) and sewer (green) lines that are owned and maintained by the district. The district does not locate customer-owned water or sewer lines.
If you have any questions regarding a locate response from the district, contact our office at 303-979-2333.