Business : Alliant Energy reminds Iowa residents on 8/11 to call 811 before digging

Alliant Energy encourages residents to make a free call 48 hours before digging to know what’s below.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Aug. 5, 2011 – With Aug. 11 almost here, Alliant Energy hopes this date on the calendar, 8/11, will serve as a natural reminder for residents to call 811 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. This comes on the heels of a recent report by the Common Ground Alliance, which determined underground utility lines are damaged during digging projects every three minutes nationwide.

When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to Iowa One Call, the state one-call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of the callers’ intent to dig. Professional locators go to the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint, or both.

Striking a single line can result in injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree, and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that require a call to 811 before starting.

“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to call 811 before digging to eliminate the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Richard Sublett, sr. manager compliance and operational performance for Alliant Energy, “It really is the only way to know what utilities are buried in your area.”

The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.

When you start digging, try to stay at least 24 inches away from the marked lines (distance requirements vary by state, so ask for guidelines when calling 811.

Visit call811.com or alliantenergy.com/pipelinesafety for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.