Call 8-1-1 Before You Dig

A Free Service to Locate Underground Utilities

Call Before You Dig is a free service that locates your underground utilities. Just call 8-1-1 to use this service any time you plan to excavate at your home or business.

Stay Safe — Call Before You Dig

There could be electric cable, gas lines, water lines, and wastewater lines under your property. Hitting these lines could result in injury, property damage, or pollution of the environment. Call Before You Dig will help you choose a safe site for your excavation activities.

State Law Requires Notification

The State of Texas Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act governs excavation. The act says that anyone who plans to disturb soil to a depth of 16 or more inches must contact a notification center before proceeding with their work.

One Call and All Your Utilities Are Marked

Call the Texas Excavation Safety System at 8-1-1. Operators are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding legal holidays).

You may call up to 14 business days before excavating, but no later than 2 business days before excavating. The operator will ask you where, when, and what type of excavating is to be done.

Keep your assigned request number for future reference. A locator for the various utilities will come mark their underground utilities at your site.

If You Hit a Utility Line When Digging

  • Discontinue excavation and call 8-1-1 immediately to report the hit.
  • If the hit results in a power outage, call 512-322-9100 to report it.

Questions?

Date last reviewed or modified: 02/23/2022