Remember to call 811 before doing any springtime digging
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
EASTERN OREGON – The ground might be wet, but the weather is getting clearer, which means it’s just about time for outdoor projects. For anyone planning to do some digging this spring, be mindful of buried utility infrastructure and the risks (both legal and physical) in digging on un-surveyed ground. Digging without preparation could result in costly and dangerous damage to underground utilities, such as gas, water/sewer, or electrical lines.
As a reminder, the Oregon Dig Law Standards Manual, published by the Oregon Public Utilities Commission, requires that property owners/residents call the Oregon Utility Notification Center at 811 at least two business days (but no more than ten) before digging. When contacted, an operator will take information regarding the planned dig and pass it on to all relevant utility providers whose infrastructure falls within the planned dig zone.
The caller will then be asked to mark their dig zone with white lines. Local crews will then arrange to mark their adjacent utility lines according to the utility color coding system. For reference, current utility colors, as listed in the Oregon Dig Law Standards Manual, are:
- RED Electric power lines, cables or conduit, and lighting cables
- YELLOW Gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or gaseous materials
- RANGE Communication, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduits, and fiber
- BLUE Potable water
- GREEN Sewers, drainage facilities or other drain lines
- WHITE Pre-marking of the outer limits of the proposed excavation or marking the centerline and width of propose lineal installations of buried facilities
- PINK Temporary survey markings
- PURPLE Slurry, irrigation and reclaimed water
811 isn’t the only way to arrange a survey. Residents can also call toll free at 1-800-332-2344 or arrange a survey online at https://digsafelyoregon.com/. For more information and to view the Oregon Dig Law Standards Manual, visit https://www.oregon.gov/puc/safety/pages/call-before-you-dig.aspx#:~:text=Call%20811%20or%20toll%20free,before%20starting%20any%20digging%20project
