By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
If you dig this spring, call 8-1-1 first.
It is the law.
Spire Damage Prevention Manager, Alan Meyer, says if you have a home project that involves putting a shovel in the ground, call 8-1-1 first so all the utilities lines on your property can be marked.
“Once those markings are placed, then we encourage people to dig safely around those lines,” Meyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “In the state of Missouri there is a tolerance zone on the utility of 24 inches. So, we ask anybody to respect that tolerance zone, dig away from the marks, and back into the mark. That protects both them and the community.”
Meyer reminds homeowners the call is free and the service is free.
The law requires homeowners and contractors to call 8-1-1 and have the utilities marked before beginning a project.
Meyer Spire says not to get hung up on the size of the project, but to just give 8-1-1 a call.
“The locate is free in itself, right? Why not just be safe, no matter how shallow, how deep you are going, whether you think you know where the utilities are or not?” Spire asks. “Just make that free call. Let the professionals come out. Get those lines marked and, again, it keeps you and the community you’re working around safe.”
Meyer says it has been a long winter and homeowners are eager to get out and get to those projects.
“You do see more of those homeowners’ projects out there where somebody’s getting to that fence they wanted to put up, maybe install that irrigation system, a pet fence, a basketball goal, a deck, a pool; any of those things,” Meyer says. “This is the perfect time.”
It takes about two to three days for the utilities lines to be marked on your property after you make the call to 8-1-1.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.
