GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Monday is August 11 (811) and officials are using the date as a reminder to call that number before you dig.
Whether it’s planting a garden or a professional construction project, Wisconsin state law requires that anyone planning to dig must call 811 or contact Diggers Hotline at least three days in advance.
Crews will come free of charge to mark the buried electric, natural gas, water and other utility lines on the property with colored flags to ensure they aren’t damaged during the digging.
“Last year, we responded to 79 incidents involving natural gas, and a large chunk of those were due to the lack of calling 811,” said Capt. Nick Craig with the Green Bay Metro Police Department.
Wisconsin Public Service spokesman Matt Cullen added, “Since 2024, more than 100 WPS underground lines have been damaged because someone did not call 811 before they began digging.”
Digging without dialing 811 or notifying Diggers Hotline can have significant consequences. It may lead to utility outages, costly repairs and even serious injuries, putting yourself and your community in harm’s way.
“If you don’t call and you end up hitting an underground utility — let’s say a water line — not only is that going to knock out the water for your neighborhood for more than four hours, you’re going to end up paying the bill, which could be in the thousands of dollars, for that repair to be made. It’s not cheap,” said Andrea Hay, director of communications for Green Bay Water.
A nationwide study by the Common Ground Alliance found that more than 27 million people will not call 811 before they dig this year.
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