Do you know that even before you dig a garden or plant a shrub, you need to find out if a utility line is buried in your path? Any digging requires you to contact West Virginia 811 to get clearance ahead of time.
It’s easy to do. Simply dial 811 or go online to WV811.com. The Public Service Commission partners with this service for your safety and that of the utilities. State law says that you may be held responsible for damage done to a utility line if you don’t clear your dig request with WV811 ahead of time.
Not long ago, I called 811 myself to verify that it is a simple procedure and that the message is easy to understand and to follow. I can tell you it is. After a brief informational message, you will be connected to a person who will take your information and help you through the process.
You must call at least 48 hours, but not more than 10 days, before you begin digging. Remember to take weekends and holidays into account.
All calls to the center are recorded. At the end of the message you will be given a 10-digit code. Be sure to write it down because that is your proof that you did call about your planned dig.
The person doing the excavation must make the call and the authorization is not transferrable. That means one person cannot get the authorization and then pass on that approval to a second person.
The call center advises the caller to identify the proposed excavation site with white paint or little flags. They use your information to advise utility operators that they need to mark any buried utility lines on your property within the area you have outlined. The 811 center says up to eight utility operators are notified about each request that is made. You need to give the utility operators a few days to send out the locators to mark their lines.
Respect the boundary markers to avoid cutting into an underground utility line. If there is a conflict, contact 811 again and ask for a re-mark. Also, contact the service if your dig will take longer than expected.
Making this simple, free call is good for you and good for the utilities. And it’s the law.
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