SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Spring has sprung in Central New York, which means it’s time to spruce up the garden and get ready for buds to start blooming.
However, before you start digging up dirt for new plants or flowers, UDig NY sends a reminder to check before you dig this April, during National Safe Digging Month.
For anyone who has a digging project in Central New York, it’s important to know the approximate location of any underground utility lines near your that can result in injury, repair costs, fines, and outages.
That’s why UDig NY is asking professional excavators and homeowners with digging projects to place an underground utility location request with the company.
Location requests can be placed by visiting UDigNY.org or by calling 811 and requests should be placed at least two business days, but not more than ten days, before beginning an excavation project.
“Placing a location request at least two days before you plan to dig and understanding safe-digging best practices helps protect your entire community,” said UDig NY Executive Director Kevin Hopper. “This National Safe Digging Month, I encourage anyone planning a project that involves digging to visit UDigNY.org to learn more about how to dig safely.”
UDig NY provides people with the tools to place and manage location requests any time of day all year long.
After a location request is placed, UDig NY processes and transmits the information to the member facility operators who are responsible for marking out the approximate location of any underground public utilities in the dig area, helping excavators to dig safely.
Before anyone plans a digging project, they should also familiarize themselves with important safe-digging concepts like the APWA Uniform Color Code – the colors that are used to mark out the type and approximate location of underground utility lines.
To learn more about placing a location request, understanding a mark out, and other important safety topics, visit UDigNY.org.
