Know What’s Below Before You Dig!

Take the proper precautions prior to starting an outdoor project

Whether you are installing a deck, fence or doing something as simple as planting a tree, it is important that you make other considerations before digging into the earth. With any digging on your property, you will need to follow these requirements to ensure your safety:

Excavation work, including digging and plowing around homes and businesses present the most common occurrence of natural gas emergencies. Before digging around your property, state law requires you call J.U.L.I.E. or 811, a statewide toll- free number, to have your utility lines professionally marked. When plowing, be cautious not to bury or hit gas meters where they are attached to buildings.

After calling J.U.L.I.E., you must wait a period of time before digging to allow the local utility companies, such as Nicor and ComEd, to locate and mark those utilities, free of charge. Each utility will be marked with a different color of spray paint or flag, so that you can avoid hitting those underground services.

Once that happens, you can dig with confidence, because you’ll know the location of underground utility lines, which could interrupt or hinder your services and potentially damage your property and the environment.

Be aware that serious accidents including fatalities can occur when excavators, contractors, and residents do not use these precautions to avoid contact with underground and above ground electrical utilities and natural gas lines.

For more information on safe digging, please contact the Sycamore Fire Department at (815) 895-4514, or visit them on Facebook at City of Sycamore Fire Department for occasional postings.