CALL 811 BEFORE DIGGING

The City of Monroe Water System is reminding all residents to call 811 prior to any digging project to have their underground utility lines marked. Excavation damage continues to be the number one cause of pipeline damage due to someone not following the law and digging without first calling 811. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, requires a call to 811. Installing or replacing a fence or mailbox, building a deck, planting or removing a tree and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that must start with a call to 811 before any work can begin. Dialing 811 will connect you to a Louisiana One Call system operator who will obtain vital information, such as your address and type of work, and then notify the appropriate utility companies in your area of your intent to dig. Professional utility line locators will visit the dig site to mark the approximate locations of all underground utilities within the scope of the mark-out request, with colored flags, paint or both. Blue indicates a water line.Digging that occurs without the proper identification and marking of underground utility lines can result in the disruption of vital services, repair costs, fines and even serious injuries.City of Monroe encourages homeowners to take the following steps before beginning to dig: Always call 811 at least three, but not more than 10, business days prior to the start of digging, regardless of the depth of the dig or your familiarity with the property. Before digging, confirm the mark-out has taken place. Blue indicates the presence of underground water lines and green indicates sewer. Respect all markings. Take a photo of the mark-out because inclement weather may wash away painted markings. Maintain the mark-outs until no longer necessary and move the location of your project if it is near utility line markings. Dig with care – hand dig within two feet of the outer wall of the underground facility. Water service lines can feel like a tree root and can be easily severed by a shovel. For more information about 811 and safe digging practices, visit laonecall.org. In the event of damage to a City of Monroe water line, immediately call 318-329-2385.