Call Before You Dig: Your Guide to Underground Safety
Whether you are planting a tree, installing a new fence, or beginning a major construction project, hitting an underground utility line can cause serious injuries, disrupt essential services, and result in heavy fines.
To protect yourself and your community, you must contact Dig Safe® before you break ground. It is the statewide underground utility damage prevention system—it’s free, and it is required by Vermont law.
How the Process Works
Protecting your property and local utility networks takes just a few simple steps:
- Pre-Mark Your Site: Use white paint or white flags to clearly outline the exact boundaries of your planned excavation area.
- Contact Dig Safe: Dial 811 or 1-888-DIGSAFE to submit your location and project details.
- Notify Non-Member Utilities: Dig Safe notifies its member companies, but not all utilities are members (e.g., municipal water/sewer, private propane). You must contact non-member utilities directly to notify them of your project.
- Wait the Required Time: Under Vermont law, you must wait at least 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) to give utility companies time to mark the area.
- Respect the Marks: Representatives from local utilities will visit your site and mark the location of buried lines using color-coded paint or flags.
- Dig with Caution: Once all utilities are marked, you can safely begin your project.
The “No Dig” Rule for Unlocatable Utilities
If you have waited the required 72 hours but a utility in your area cannot be located or has not been marked, you do not have the green light to dig. You must still follow state rules to protect public safety:
- Assume it is present: If a utility cannot be located, you must assume it is there. You cannot dig until you receive official confirmation that the area is safe.
- Seek confirmation: Contact the utility company directly to request a “no-dig advisory” or further clarification before proceeding.
- Document everything: Keep detailed records of all your calls, ticket numbers, and confirmations.
- Understand the penalties: Failing to follow these rules isn’t just dangerous—the Vermont Public Utility Commission can issue fines of up to $5,000 for violations.
The Utility Color Code Guide
When locators visit your property, they use a universal color-coding system to identify different types of underground lines. Here is what the colors in your yard mean:
| Color | Utility Type |
|---|---|
| Red | Electric power lines, cables, and conduit |
| Orange | Telecommunications, fiber optics, alarm or signal lines |
| Yellow | Natural gas, oil, steam, or petroleum |
| Blue | Drinking water lines |
| Green | Sanitary sewer and storm drain lines |
| Purple | Reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines |
| Pink | Temporary survey markings |
| White | Proposed excavation boundaries (placed by you) |
Why This Matters for Your Telecom Services
Fiber optic cables and copper telephone lines are often buried alongside other utilities. Cutting a telecommunications line doesn’t just knock out your internet or TV—it can sever your neighborhood’s access to 911 emergency services.
Always wait the full 72 hours, never assume you know where a line is buried, and never dig if a utility remains unlocated.
Need to Start a Ticket?
- Call: 811 or 1-888-DIGSAFE (1-888-344-7233)
- Online: www.digsafe.com
Emergency Note: If you suspect you have damaged a line during excavation, stop digging immediately and contact the affected utility company. If there is a gas leak or immediate danger, dial 911 right away.