Underground Line Locations
Spring landscaping, home additions, swimming pools… this is the time of year for outdoor projects. Please remember, if your project involves digging, you need to call the Alabama 811 hotline. After getting the details about your project, the Alabama 811 center will send notifications to all utility service providers which may have wires or pipes in the ground near your excavation site. At Hartselle Utilities, a Locate Technician will visit the site within 48 hours to mark the location of underground utilities in the area, if any. They will use the following color codes to let you know the areas to avoid digging:
Calling Alabama 811 is the most important first step in any project. If you fail to call and subsequently hit a utility line, you will be responsible for all repair costs. And digging into a power line or gas line could be deadly. So remember, always call before you dig!
To request underground line locations, dial 811. It’s the law and it could save your life!
Requesting Line Locations
• Alabama 811 is a notification service that sends notification of your intent to excavate to all of its utility service provider members in the area, including Hartselle Utilities’ Water, Gas, Sewer and Electric departments.
• The operator taking your call will inform you which companies are to be notified.
• Keep in mind that not all utility service providers are members of Alabama 811 – you may have to call some utilities yourself. For a complete list of all participating members please visit the Alabama 811 website.
• Alabama 811 will issue a locate ticket number – keep this number for future reference.
Utility Responsibilities
• All utility providers have two full business days (excluding holidays) to complete the line locations. However, if locations are not completed within this timeframe, it is the excavator’s responsibility to call the appropriate utility or Alabama 811 and report that the locations have not been marked.
• Hartselle Utilities will only mark lines owned and operated by Hartselle Utilities. Examples of what we will not mark include electric lines running from your house panel to your garage, water lines from your meter into your house, your sprinkler system, and water, gas or electric lines owned by another utility (such as Joe Wheeler Electric Co-op).
• Underground utilities will be marked with paint and/or flags according to the Utility Location Coordination Council Uniform Color Code at left.
Excavator Responsibilities
• After calling, please allow two full business days (excluding holidays) before digging.
• Carefully dig with handtools within 18” of any marks indicating buried utilities.
• If possible, use white paint to outline the planned excavation area.
• If the area has not been marked when you are ready to dig (after two business days), please call Alabama 811 and ask them to send a second notice. This second notice will be treated as an emergency.
• If you have questions about the marks Hartselle Utilities has placed on the ground, contact us at (256) 773-3340. DO NOT make assumptions regarding the location of underground utilities!
• The locate ticket issued by Alabama 811 is good for 10 days. If you dig after the ticket expires then you are digging without a valid locate ticket. If you are unable to dig before the ticket expires, you need to call Alabama 811 two days before the ticket expires to update the ticket.