CALL BEFORE YOU DIG

In Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C., Miss Utility (and MissUtility of Virginia in VA) acts as a communication link between utility companies and individuals planning any digging activity, including residents, professional contractors and excavators. Though Miss Utility and MissUtility of Virginia do not physically mark lines, they do relay digging and excavation requests to their utility members.

Call before you dig—it’s free!

By law, you MUST contact Miss Utility at least 48 business hours (Maryland and Washington, D.C.) or two full working days (Delaware) before beginning any landscape or construction digging project. By not calling, you risk costly property or environmental damage, explosion or fire on your property, power or utilities services interruptions, legal problems and injury—or even death.

Virginia residents must contact MissUtility of Virginia at least two working days prior to digging.

To contact Miss Utility and MissUtility of Virginia:

By phone: Dial 811 or 1-800-257-7777 (homeowners and excavators, MD Western Shore), 1-800-441-8355 (MD Eastern Shore) or 1-800-282-8555 (DE). Online: visit www.missutility.net/itic (excavators) or www.missutility.net/iticlite (homeowners).

This regulation applies to smaller landscape and construction projects too, including digging fencepost holes, anchoring supports for decks and swing sets, planting trees, removing tree roots and driving landscaping stakes into the ground.

In Virginia, dial 811 or 1-800-522-7001.Online: visit www.missutility.net (only professional excavators may enter tickets online).

Calling before you dig is the only way to determine the exact location of a pipeline or underground storage tank. Some people assume they can pinpoint a pipeline’s location simply by drawing a straight line between two or more markers. These markers, however, do not indicate actual depth and may not always be located precisely over the line. A pipeline may curve or twist underground to avoid natural and/or manmade objects, such as tree roots or television cable.

What Miss Utility and MissUtility of Virginia will do...

When contacting Miss Utility and MissUtility of Virginia you’ll need to have the following information handy:

• Address where the digging or excavating will be done (including the county name)

• Lot number (if new subdivision or development)

• Directions to the property (including the closest street or road intersection)

• Extent of work to be done

Miss Utility or MissUtility of Virginia will then contact their members with underground utilities in your area. Representatives from these member companies will come to the location to measure and mark their lines or tanks for you.

When utility company representatives mark the location, they will use colored flags and/or paint to identify the type of underground service. The chart below explains these color-coded markings.

Utility Location & Coordination

Color Code
Red–Electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables
Yellow–Gas, oil, steam, petroleum or gaseous materials
Orange–Communication, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit
Blue–Potable water
Purple–Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines
Green–Sewers and drain lines
Pink–Temporary survey markings
White–Proposed excavating

If you accidentally come in contact with a line or storage tank…

If you come in contact with a pipeline or storage tank, and cause minor damage such as a dent, gouge, scratch or break in coatings, call the appropriate utility with the type and location of the damage. Please allow the gas company time to repair the line or tank. If the contact results in a release of gas, please call the appropriate utility and 911.

Report unauthorized digging

If you suspect ANY illegal digging, call the gas company listed on the nearest marker right away. If no company is listed, call 911.

For more information...

To learn more about Miss Utility and safe digging, visit www.missutility.net or call 1-800-257-7777. Virginia residents call 1-800-522-7001 or visit www.missutilityofvirginia.com For details about 811, the national call before you dig number, visit www.call811.com.