Outdoor projects expected to be in full swing, officials remind to call 811 before digging

SHERMAN, Ill. (WAND) — April is National Safe Digging Month.

The goal of the initiative is to reduce the risk of striking underground utility lines. Ameren Illinois delivers electricity to 1.2 million electric and more than 800,000 natural gas customers across central and southern Illinois. The company said every 6 minutes someone in the U.S. hits an underground utility line.

"We really want to get the message out to our communities, our contractors, and everybody that is working or driving stakes into the ground," shared Jake Dukett, Supervisor of Gas Public Awareness for Ameren Illinois.

J.U.L.I.E. has been protecting Illinois communities for more than 45 years by providing a free notification service for homeowners and contractors. Nationwide, more than 49.3 million Americans will put themselves, their families, and their communities at risk by not contacting their local 811 Center before digging.

Dukett shared that recently there was an incident in a central Illinois community where a gas line was hit and the gas started to migrate into the sewers. He said the local fire department's quick actions and response helped prevent a major disaster from happening.

"It's important to keep yourself safe, so we don't have an event where someone gets hurt or killed."

Whether planting a garden or installing fence posts, Ameren Illinois reminds all customers to follow the law and call 811 at least two business days before digging. Doing so identifies the location of buried infrastructure, helping to prevent potentially dangerous natural gas leaks while also ensuring homes stay fully connected.

Ameren Illinois dispatches USIC within two business days to identify and mark the lines. USIC marks different facilities with colored flags (e.g. red for electric, yellow for gas), ensuring the property owner or the contractor knows the exact areas to avoid.

Once the facilities are marked and the start time indicated on the dig ticket is valid, the project can begin. All digging within 18 inches on either side of a marked line (tolerant zone) must be completed by hand.

The JULIE service is available free of charge. People can also put in an e-request online at Illinois1call.com.