COMMUNITY  UTILITY COMPANY, INC.

116 EAST MAIN ST.        P.O. BOX 37

RACINE, MINNESOTA

PHONE: (507) 378-2121  FAX: (507)378-2131

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG….IT’S THE LAW!!

     UNDER STATE LAW,YOU MUST CALL GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL BEFORE YOU DIG WITH POWER EQUIPMENT OR ARE GOING TO BLAST.

     THE CALL WILL INSURE THAT YOU DON’T DIG INTO UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC LINES, TELEPHONE OR TELEVISION CABLES, WATER OR SEWER LINES OR A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.  DIGGING IN THE WRONG PLACE CAN BE A DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE MISTAKE.

     GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL NEEDS TO KNOW THE PRECISE LOCATION OF THE DIG.  THEY HAVE THE DATA BASE OF ALL ITS MEMBERS, SO THE PERSON ANSWERING YOUR CALL WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU QUICKLY WHO MIGHT HAVE FACILITIES NEAR YOUR DIG SITE.  THE OPERATOR ANSWERING YOUR CALL WILL ASSIGN YOU A TICKET NUMBER WHICH HELPS TRACK  THE REQUEST AND WILL ASK YOU A SERIES OF QUESTIONS:  WHEN WILL THE WORK BEGIN? WHAT TYPE OF JOB IS IT? WHERE IS IT – COUNTY, CITY, ADDRESS, NEAREST INTERSECTION?   DECIDE WHERE YOU NEED TO DIG AND MARK THE SPOT WITH A WHITE STAKE.  IF YOU ARE DIGGING IN A RESIDENTIAL LAWN, THE PIPES AND CABLES BENEATH IT ARE MOST LIKELY UTILITY CONDUITS AND IN AN EASEMENT.

     ALL UNDERGROUND LINES BELONGING TO UTILITIES WILL BE LOCATED AND MARKED AT NO COST TO YOU.  GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL WILL NOTIFY THE COMPANIES, EACH OF WHICH WILL SEND OUT A LOCATOR TO MARK ITS OWN FACILITY WITHIN 48 HOURS OF NOTIFICATION.    IF AFTER 48 HOURS YOUR WHITE MARKER IS THE ONLY ONE THERE, DON’T RUSH OUT AND DIG!!  CALL ONE- CALL AGAIN TO BE SURE.

     HOMEOWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCATING ALL PRIVATELY OWNED UNDERGROUND LINES WHICH MAY INCLUDE UNDERGROUND ELECTRICITY WIRES OR GAS LINES THAT GO FROM THE HOUSE TO THE GARAGE OR LINES THAT GO FROM THE GARAGE TO GAS GRILLS, SWIMMING POOL HEATERS, YARD LIGHTING, ETC.  THEY MAY BE ONLY INCHES BELOW THE SURFACE BECAUSE OF LANDSCAPING OR EROSION, SO EVEN SHALLOW DIGGING CAN CUT INTO THEM AND BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

     AT LEAST TWO BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE YOU DIG PHONE 1-800-252-1166 (or 811) GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL TO MAKE A LOCATE REQUEST AND, AFTER YOU’VE MARKED YOUR SPOT, THEY WILL HANDLE THE REST.  REMEMBER, CONTACT WITH UNDERGROUND LINES MAY BE FATAL.  THIS IS WHY IT IS THE LAW TO CALL.

     IF YOU SMELL NATURAL GAS, A SULFUR-LIKE ODOR MUCH THE SAME AS ROTTEN EGGS, LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY AND CALL COMMUNITY UTILITY COMPANY (507) 378-2121 OR 911.

** PLEASE KEEP THIS INFORMATION FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.**