Washington State has a phone number you are required to call before you dig, anywhere on your property, which is a very nice FREE service. They will send various utility companies out to mark where underground utilities are located, as a safety so that you do not accidentally dig up some hot electrical wires, telephone lines, water pipes, cable TV or natural gas pipelines.
The law basically says that, ‘Digging anywhere in the state of Washington without calling for utility location markings two business days prior to starting is against the law. Even if digging on your own property, homeowners and farmers must make the phone call if digging deeper than 12 inches.
Because pipelines are underground and out of sight, you have to be careful where you dig. Even markers indicating the right-of-way for transmission pipelines do not identify the precise location of the pipelines. The only way you can be sure that you're digging safely is to have your proposed dig site reviewed for any underground lines.
You only have to make one call. Owners of underground utilities, such as telephone, water, electricity, and natural gas, have cooperated in providing this one-call utility locate service.
Simply call 1-800-424-5555 two business days before you plan on digging.
The call . . . FREE.
Avoiding damage to a pipeline that could cause serious damage to you, your home, loved ones and neighbors. . . PRICELESS.
The below pictures are of a crater and resultant fire from someone digging without checking first. The victim struck a gas main and was never located.
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