April is National Safe Digging Month: Call 811 to protect your neighborhood

LACEY, Wash. - As the weather warms up and gardening season begins, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) reminds everyone to stay safe by calling 811 before starting any digging project.

To highlight the importance of this safety step, Governor Bob Ferguson has proclaimed April as Washington Safe Digging Month.

Whether you are planting a bush, installing a mailbox, or building a fence, it is the law to call 811 before digging.

How the Process Works

1. White Lining: Mark the dig site with white lining, chalk, or flags before requesting a locate.

1. Call 811 or visit callbeforeyoudig.org two to 10 full business days before the work is scheduled to begin. The service is completely free (except in limited situations).

1. Get Marked: Professional locators will come to your property to mark the location of underground utility lines.

1. Dig with Care: When all lines are marked, use hand tools to dig carefully around those areas. Buried electrical lines or natural gas pipes can be dangerously close to the surface. Accidental contact with a shovel or backhoe can cause power outages, expensive property damage, or even fatal injuries.

1. Keep the marks for up to 45 days. After that, you must request a new locate.

Why Calling 811 is Vital

In 2025, 42% of the 2,705 reported underground utility damages happened because someone started digging without getting a utility locate first. The message is clear: failure to call before you dig puts the whole neighborhood at risk and can result in a costly repair bill. You can prevent these dangerous accidents by planning ahead and calling 811.

Last year, the notification center received 531,979 locate requests, an increase of 18,831 from 2024.

If you have any issues with your utility locate request, such as delays, incomplete markings, or inaccuracies, contact the UTC Consumer Help Line at 1-888-333-WUTC (9882) or email [email protected]. Visit Dig Safe WA to learn more safe digging tips.

About Pipeline Safety in Washington State

Established by the Legislature in 1955, the UTC's Pipeline Safety Program regulates the safety practices of 41 pipeline operators and conducts safety inspections on more than 47,000 miles of natural gas and hazardous-liquid pipelines in Washington. The UTC also regulates the rates and services of investor-owned electric utilities, telecommunications companies, natural gas, and water companies in the state. For more details, visit the UTC Pipeline Safety Program webpage.

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