Call 811. It's Free, It's Easy, and It's the Law!

 If you have a landscaping project in the works, remember to call 811 before digging to get utility lines marked and avoid damage. Colorado 811 must be notified before any excavation. Excavation is "any operation in which earth is moved or removed by means of any tools, equipment, or explosives and includes auguring, boring, ditching, grading, plowing-in, ripping, scraping, trenching and tunneling.”

The safest and only legal way to dig is to know what is below the ground before your shovel or equipment moves any dirt. Even small projects like planting a shrub require you to make advance arrangements before digging. Your advance call to 811 helps you learn where utility-owned lines and equipment are buried before you turn the earth.

Call 811 in Colorado Before You Dig

Calling 811 connects you to Colorado's "one-call center," which arranges for utilities to be located and marked in your dig area at no cost to you. Please call three days before you dig to give the locate team time to come out and mark your utilities. Locates for your water utility are from the main water line to the meter pit. You are responsible for locating the service line between your home and the meter pit and any connections to that line.

Learn more at the Colorado 811 website.

What Is Colorado 811?

Colorado 811 is the state's utility notification system that helps homeowners, contractors, and excavators identify underground utility lines before digging begins.

When Should You Submit an 811 Locate Request?

Locate requests should be submitted before any digging project, including fence installation, landscaping, irrigation work, tree planting, mailbox installation, and deck construction.

What Utilities Are Marked?

• Water lines
• Natural gas
• Electric service
• Telecommunications
• Cable lines
• Sewer infrastructure

The Colorado 811 Process

1. Submit a locate request.
2. Wait for utility markings.
3. Verify all utilities have responded.
4. Dig carefully around marked lines.