5 STEPS TO SAFER DIGGING IN ILLINOIS THIS FALL

Joliet, Illinois, Sept. 21, 2017 -- Landscape projects during the fall can add beauty and value to a home. From modest designs to elaborate projects they enhance outdoor living space and can be a source of enjoyment. However, these projects also have the potential to cause quite a headache if you neglect to follow an important first step. Before the start of any digging project in Illinois, JULIE, Inc. (JULIE) urges homeowners to know what’s below and always call 8-1-1.  This is a free call and service.

Fall is a great time to plant trees. Before putting a shovel in the ground, call JULIE at 8-1-1. This is a free call and service in Illinois. For more information and expert tips, go to www.illinois1call.com. Protect yourself and your family. When planning a project, always call JULIE at 8-1-1 before you dig. For more information and expert tips, go to www.illinois1call.com.

“Protect yourself and your family. Striking a single buried utility line can cause injury and result in repair costs, penalties and inconvenient outages,” said Kevin Chmura, director of public relations for JULIE, Inc. “Across the country, every six minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 8-1-1. There is no reason to take a chance with safety. JULIE’s call center agents are available to receive and process locate requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

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.

 5 Steps to Safer Digging

There are five important steps to safer digging this fall:

1. Pre-mark the dig site with white paint or flags.
2. Call JULIE at 8-1-1 or go online (illinois1call.com) to submit your own request before you dig;
3. Wait the required amount of time (two business days);
4. Respect the marks; and
5. Dig with care.

When homeowners call either 8-1-1 or 800-892-0123 (both are toll free), 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.  Within two business days, these members will then send a professional locator to mark the approximate location of their underground utility lines with small color-code 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, self-service option for homeowners via www.illinois1call.com.

Based in Joliet, JULIE is a not-for-profit organization which represents 1,930 members and covers Illinois, outside the city of Chicago (811 Chicago covers the city of Chicago). The Illinois One-Call System receives and processes 1.6 million requests on an annual basis. For additional safety and expert tips, an explanation of the color-code flags and markings, and information about the one-call process, visit www.illinois1call.com.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81dfb513-b719-47b4-a9ad-eb46a8cba1a1

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6684d2a9-51ed-4c15-8fd4-8fdf65f6565c

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a08507d-bb8a-408d-a59c-75383d44d00a

Kevin Chmura
JULIE, Inc. (Illinois One-Call System)
815-741-5005
[email protected]