What is 811?
811 is a free service that was created to simplify the process of providing pre-excavation notification to underground facility operators.
Prior to the creation of 811, excavators needed to remember the phone number of the One Call System in the area where they were planning to dig. With the implementation of nationwide 811, being connected to your local One Call System is as simple as dialing 811 or clicking www.call811.com . You no longer have to remember multiple phone numbers for different One Call Systems – the only number you have to remember when planning to dig is: 811.
811 was created to make it easier for everyone to contact their local One Call System prior to engaging in any excavation activity. It does not matter if the caller is a homeowner or a professional excavator: they should always call 811 or click www.call811.com at least 3 business days prior to digging.
Contacting 811 is only one step in this process. To prevent damage to underground utilities, you must also follow the rest of the rules around 811. These include:
- Wait the required time period before excavating to give the utilities sufficient time to mark their buried assets
- Revise your one call ticket if the scope of work changes
- Only excavate in the area you indicated in your notification
- Respect the marks made by the utilities
- Excavate with care.
