811 Service for Safe Digging!

811 markings in my garden before planting, ensuring safe digging.

The area I was planning to plant in was still cold enough that the ground was frozen in the shaded spots. However, I couldn’t wait any longer and started digging a hole to plant the Little Lime Punch I had received earlier this year. Before I had even dug down a foot, I discovered a thin green wire. The rubber coating on the wire looked clean and intact, so it didn’t seem like trash but rather an active wire. I immediately stopped digging and started thinking about what to do next.

After researching online, I learned that I needed to call 811 to have the location of underground wires and cables marked. 811 is a free service that helps locate the positions of underground infrastructure such as power lines, gas pipes, and water lines. When you call, the service will send someone to mark the location of any buried utilities. This ensures that you can dig safely without damaging them. I had no idea such a service existed!

It reminded me of a time two years ago when I had my fence redone. I wanted to put a fence up in a spot where there wasn’t one. But the contractor told me they couldn’t do it because there might be a gas line underneath. This time, after getting the marks, I found out that there was no gas line where I wanted to place the fence. If I had known about 811 back then, I could’ve gotten the fence put up in that spot. It's a bit frustrating to think about.

As I looked at the area I wanted to plant in this spring, I noticed that the entire spot had been marked. I’m really glad I learned about 811 because, if I hadn’t, I might have regretted it later. Digging holes is tough work, after all! But I also noticed that there are a few large trees in the yard that were already here when I moved in. These trees are located near or directly above some of the markings, which I find a little odd. I suspect these trees might have been planted when the house was built, not by the previous owners.