SD Residents Reminded to Call 811 Before You Dig

With the snow melting and the weather warming up, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission would like to remind South Dakotans that calling 811 is an important step in preparing to start outdoor projects they have planned this spring.

PUC Chairperson Kristi Fiegen says that spring tends to be when people start getting outside to work on projects around their property. If projects involve digging, contacting 811 should be done before you break ground. Whether you’re building a house, putting up a fence or landscaping, notifying South Dakota 811 is an important step to ensure your safety and the integrity of buried utilities.

South Dakota law requires excavators and homeowners to contact South Dakota 811 at least two working days before beginning a digging project. Those two days give utility providers time to mark all the natural gas, electric, communications, water and sewer lines on your property and help to minimize the damages and dangers of hitting those buried utilities. Striking even a single line can result in injury and utility outages, as well as some expenses in the form of repair costs and fines.

Uneven surfaces, erosion and previous digging projects can all cause the depths of utility lines to vary and change over time, increasing the risk of hitting an underground utility. For this reason, every digging project warrants a call to 811. Gardening up to 12 inches deep and field tillage up to 18 inches deep are the only exceptions.

South Dakota 811 is a free service. Homeowners and excavators with upcoming, outdoor construction projects must contact the South Dakota 811 center 48 hours before digging, excluding weekends and holidays. 

To learn more about 811 and safe digging practices and to download the free South Dakota 811 mobile app, visit www.SD811.co