Every excavation in Connecticut starts the same way: a call, or an online request, to Call Before You Dig. It's free, it's the law for anyone digging with power equipment, and it's the simplest way to avoid hitting a gas line, cutting power to the street, or paying for a repair you didn't plan on.
What the law requires
According to the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), all excavators using power-operated equipment must notify the central clearinghouse at least two full days ahead, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and no more than 30 days before they dig. Emergencies are the exception, and as PURA puts it, forgetting to call is not an emergency.
The clearinghouse notifies the utilities in the area, and they mark their lines. You can reach it by dialing 811.
Who should make the call?
If you've hired a contractor to do the digging, the contractor should place the ticket. That's how we handle it on every job: we place the request, wait the required time, and don't start until the marks are in. If you're doing the digging yourself with a rented machine, the rule applies to you too. For hand-digging a garden bed, calling is still a smart idea and costs nothing.
How long the process takes
Plan on at least two full business days between the request and the dig. A request on Thursday morning means digging Tuesday at the earliest, depending on holidays. Build that into your schedule, especially for septic repairs and other time-sensitive work.
What the paint colors mean
Utility marks follow a national color code. The ones you'll usually see on a Connecticut property:
| Color | What it marks |
|---|---|
| Red | Electric power lines, cables and conduit |
| Yellow | Gas, oil and steam |
| Orange | Communications: phone, cable, fiber |
| Blue | Potable water |
| Green | Sewer and drain lines |
| Purple | Reclaimed water and irrigation |
| White | Proposed excavation area |
| Pink | Temporary survey marks |
The marks show the approximate location. Digging close to a mark is done carefully, often by hand, to expose the line.
What doesn't get marked
This catches a lot of homeowners. The utilities mark their lines, typically up to the meter or the point where service enters your property. Lines that belong to you usually aren't marked, such as:
- Electric lines to a detached garage, shed, pool or lamp post
- Irrigation and sprinkler lines
- Invisible dog fences and low-voltage lighting
- Propane lines from a tank to the house
- Your well line and your septic system
- Gas lines to a grill or generator installed after the meter
Before we dig, we ask about anything like this, and we look for clues on site. If you know where your private lines run, mark them or tell your contractor. If you're not sure, private locating services can find many of them.
If a line gets hit
Connecticut requires anyone who damages an underground facility to report it to the utility right away and not try to fix it themselves. If gas is leaking or there's an electrical short, get people away from the area and call 911 first.
The bottom line
Call Before You Dig adds a couple of days to a schedule and removes a lot of risk. If you're planning a project with any digging, from a new driveway to a septic repair, get in touch and we'll handle the ticket as part of the job. See our excavation and trenching services.
Terwilliger Construction is a family-owned site contractor in Bristol, Connecticut, started by Mike Terwilliger in 1976 and run today by his sons. Read our story.