(Radio Iowa) – Today (Monday) is August 11th or 8-11 on the calendar, making it the day to highlight the number you need to call before digging. Ben Booth is a spokesman for Iowa One Call. “Eight-one-one is the three-digit abbreviated dialing system for Iowa. One call anywhere in the state. You pick up the phone and dial 8-1-1 and you will be connected to the Iowa One Call notification system,” Booth says. Once you call then Iowa One Call does a check to see what utilities might be in your area. “And it maps what utilities are in the ground. Iowa One Call, then transmits a notice to those underground facility or utility operators who will respond within 48 hours to come out and locate and mark on the ground with paint or flags where they’re underground facilities are located so that you don’t dig into them,” he says. “And they do that about 3 million times annually.”

Booth says it’s a simple step to take before you plant a tree or put in a fence. “It doesn’t cost anything to notify Iowa One Call or to have your utilities located. In fact, it’s a law. It’s a requirement of Iowa,” Booth says. Booth says it could cost you a lot of money if you don’t call and hit an underground utility line. “If you damage an underground facility, you could get a nice bill in the mail and have to pay for the repair on that. And there are some civil penalties for not doing what you’re supposed to do if you’re not compliant,” Booth says.

Booth says not calling can also be deadly if you hit an underground gas line of power line. You can also contact Iowa One Call online at iowaonecall.com