Contact 811 before you dig. Protect yourself, your community and the infrastructure that makes daily life possible.
811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number. Anyone who plans to dig should call 811 or go to JULIE two to three business days before digging. Professional locators are then sent — for free — to the requested dig site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, paint or both so that you don’t dig into and damage an underground utility line.
Always contact your 811 center, wait the required time for utilities to respond to your request and ensure that all utilities have responded to your request before digging in the ground.
A homeowner using a shovel and a professional excavator using an earthmover are required by state law to call 811.
Just contact 811 first!
We want to spread the word to contact 811 before you dig, and guess what? The National Excavator Initiative is right there with us in the trenches and is bringing along executive producer, host, bestselling author, podcaster and skilled-trades advocate Mike Rowe and his animated alter ego, "Micro Mike Rowe."
Known for the hit TV series, “Dirty Jobs,” “Deadliest Catch” and his groundbreaking Facebook show, “Returning the Favor,” Rowe and his animated sidekick highlight the importance of the pipes, wires and cables buried underground. With some earthy humor, they share what can — and likely will — go wrong if homeowners and contractors don't contact 811 before digging.
Nicor Gas encourages homeowners and contractors to follow these safe digging guidelines and always dig with C.A.R.E.:
Nicor Gas monitors excavation activities around critical infrastructure. If, after contacting JULIE, it is determined that your project location is near a critical natural gas line, you will be contacted by a member of our Watch and Protect team. In many instances, a Nicor Gas representative will be onsite during digging. This service is free.