Prioritize Safety: Call 811 Before You Dig!
Whether you’re a contractor planning an excavation or a resident planting a tree, calling 811 beforehand is essential and mandated by law. This vital step prevents accidents, safeguards infrastructure, and guarantees a secure and efficient digging process.
Steps for Safe Digging:
Step 1: Submit A Ticket to Colorado 811
- Call 8-1-1 or submit a ticket online through iDig811 a user friendly platform for homeowners and professional excavators to submit a single address locate online 5 business-days prior to digging.
Step 2: USIC and Other Utilities are Notified
After you submit your 811 request, MVEA’s contractor USIC, along with your other potential utility providers (gas, electric, cable TV, phone, etc.), will receive a notification from Colorado 811 and will contact you.
Step 3: Have Private Lines Located by A Private Locate Company
MVEA’s locating contractor, USIC, will then come out to your requested address to locate and mark underground power lines up to the electric meter on the property.
- If your meter is in a pedestal, USIC will only mark the electric lines up to the pedestal.
- If the meter is on your house, USIC will mark the electric lines up to your house.
- Please note: All underground lines from the electric meter to the home, barn, garage, well, outdoor lighting, or any other structure, are owned by the member and are not marked by MVEA, nor USIC, and will need to be marked by a private locator company.
- It is the owner’s responsibility to have private lines located and marked by a private locator company. This ensures that all underground lines are thoroughly marked before any digging takes place, promoting safety and preventing accidental damage.
Other Things to Consider:
- Do not use the services of a private locate company until you have submitted a request through Colorado 811 and have received confirmation that a ticket or notice of pending excavation has been generated by Colorado 811. You will receive a confirmation directly from Colorado 811.
- The failure to mark lines inside of your property boundaries and the cutting or damage to those lines can result in serious personal injury and fines. You will be responsible for any damage to any lines on your property regardless of who marks the lines.
Step 4: Confirm All Lines are Marked
Confirm that all affected utilities (electric, gas, cable TV, phone, etc.) have responded by comparing the markers to the list of utilities that the 8-1-1 call center has notified.
Step 5: Dig Carefully
After all utility companies have marked their buried lines, you can proceed with caution by either digging carefully around the utility marks or, if possible, relocating your projects that are in close proximity to these buried utilities. For digging within 18 inches on either side of the flags or painted lines, we highly recommend using hand tools or a fiberglass shovel to minimize the risk of accidental damage to the utility lines. Safety is paramount during excavation activities.
Already submitted a ticket? Check the response status!
811 Response Display - Ticket Status CheckFrequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, no matter the depth or shallowness of your digging, contacting 811 is required. According to Colorado State law, excavation encompasses various operations involving earth movement or removal through tools, equipment, or explosives, including augering, backfilling, boring, ditching, drilling, grading, plowing-in, pulling-in, ripping, scraping, trenching, hydro excavating, postholing, and tunneling.
By reaching out to 811, you protect yourself from causing fineable damage to underground utilities like cables, wires, or pipes, and significantly reduce the risk of personal injuries. Prioritizing this crucial step ensures a safe and incident-free excavation process.
Once you submit a ticket through Colorado 811, MVEA is notified and our locating contractor, USIC, will come out to your requested address to locate lines up to the meter.
- Any electrical lines beyond your meter fall under the members’ responsibility. These may include power lines leading to barns, garages, outdoor lighting, or running from your transformer (green box or pedestal) to your property. Please note that if your meter is on a pedestal rather than on your house, we can only mark up to a meter of underground line.
- For locating these additional buried lines, you must hire a private locator company. This ensures that all underground lines are thoroughly marked before any digging takes place, promoting safety and preventing accidental damage.
Utility owners and operators follow the APWA (American Public Works Association) standard color code to mark the locations of their underground facilities. The following colors are used:
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
WHITE – Proposed Excavation
PINK – Temporary Survey Markings
Any underground power lines that are beyond the electric meter (these could include lines to a building, house, gareage, etc.) are owned by the property owner and it is the owners responsibility to have these marked by a private locator company. MVEA only locates up to the electric meter. To find private locating companies, please refer to the list provided at https://colorado811.org/private-locate-companies.
You can start digging once you have all your markings or positive response from the utilities on your ticket.