5 Things to Know Before You Start Digging
1) Call 811 or visit call811.com at least two to three business days before you start any digging project around your home or property.
2) If you don’t call 811 before digging and accidentally hit an underground utility line, you could incur fines and be responsible for repair costs.
3) You’ll be asked to provide a few important details about your project, such as when and where you plan to dig.
4) The 811 Center will take it from there. They will contact your local electric cooperative, as well as other utility companies and pipeline operators near your worksite, so you don’t have to call every company individually.
5) Within two to three business days, professional locators will mark underground utility lines so you can work safely.
811 FAQs
What is 811?
811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number. Anyone who plans to dig should call 811 or go to the South Dakota 811 center's website before digging to request that the approximate location of buried utilities be marked with paint or flags so that you don’t unintentionally dig into an underground utility line.
When do I call 811?
You should call 811 or use the South Dakota 811 center's website a few business days before you begin any digging, including common projects like planting trees and shrubs or installing fences and mailboxes. The specific amount of advance notice that you are required to provide varies by state.
What info do I need before calling 811?
You will need to know the address of where you plan to dig, including the county and nearest cross street, as well as the type of project you’re completing and the exact area on the property where you’re planning to dig. Whether you call 811 or make your request online, you’ll need the same info.
After I call 811, what do I do?
You need to wait a few days to allow utilities to respond to your request and ensure that all utilities have indeed responded to your request before breaking ground. Once all utilities have marked their buried lines, you should dig carefully around any utility marks and consider relocating projects that are close to buried utilities.
APWA Uniform Color Code
Underground utilities are marked using these universal color codes.
White: Proposed excavation
Pink: Temporary survey markings
Red: Electric power lines, cables, conduit, and lighting cables
Yellow: Gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or gaseous materials
Orange: Communication, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit
Blue: Potable water
Purple: Reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines
Green: Sewers and drain lines
Starting April 1st, 2020, Summit Utility Service will be locating all electrical lines for Bon Homme Yankton Electric. If you are planning on digging or you need a line located for another reason, you still must call 811 at least 72 hours in advance. However, instead of Bon Homme Yankton Electric locating the lines in our service territory, Summit Utility Services will do all the locating. If the line belongs to Bon Homme Yankton Electric, there will be no fee for the locating service. If the line is a private line, Summit Utility Services will bill you directly. In the past, Bon Homme Yankton Electric billed members for private line locating.
Bon Homme Yankton Electric made the decision to contract our line locating services in order to save members money by limiting time away from other projects and reducing the number of overtime hours put in by employees. Here is a picture of the Summit Utility Service team and one of their work vehicles so you can recognize them on the job. Summit Utility’s dispatch number is 406-360-0066.
