Joliet, Illinois, Sept. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All good things come to an end, and that includes the warm-weather growing season. As temperatures fall and days grow shorter, the lawn and garden need a little TLC before winter’s arrival. From cutbacks to covering and from digging in to pulling out, there are plenty of ways to ensure a healthy yard next year. Before reaching for that shovel, JULIE, Inc. (JULIE) urges homeowners to know what’s below and always call 8-1-1. This is a free call and service in Illinois.
“Across the country, every nine minutes an underground utility line is hit because someone chose not to call a state one-call center, such as JULIE, before digging,” said Kevin Chmura, director of public relations for JULIE, Inc. “Protect yourself and your family. In Illinois, every project that includes digging, regardless of the depth, requires a notification to JULIE first. It's the state law.”
Common examples of fall projects that require a call to JULIE before digging include putting up a fence, installing a mail box post, building a deck or patio, and adding trees or shrubs. JULIE’s call center agents are available to receive and process requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
5 Steps to Safer Digging
There are five important steps to safer digging this fall:
- Pre-mark the dig site with white paint or flags.
- Call JULIE at 8-1-1 or go online (illinois1call.com) to submit your own locate request before you dig;
- Wait the required amount of time (two business days);
- Respect the marks; and
- Dig with care.
When homeowners call either 8-1-1 or 800-892-0123, they will speak with a JULIE call center agent who will take the location and description of the project site and notify affected member facility owners and operators. These members will then send a professional locator to mark the approximate location of their underground utility lines with small flags or paint at no cost. JULIE personnel do not perform locating or marking services. In addition to calling to submit a locate request, E-Request is a free, online option for homeowners via www.illinois1call.com.
Based in Joliet, the not-for-profit organization represents 1,930 members and covers Illinois, outside the city of Chicago (the city is covered by 811 Chicago). For additional tips, an explanation of the color-code markings and information about the one-call process, visit www.illinois1call.com.
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