Question 1

What is Diggers Hotline?

Accepted Answer

Diggers Hotline is Wisconsin's statewide one-call notification system that was developed in order to provide excavators and the general public the ability to inform multiple owners of underground facilities of excavation with a single call. Diggers Hotline is a not-for-profit independent company that processes information from excavators and passes that information on to affected utilities. Diggers Hotline does not locate buried facilities in the field.

Question 2

Is there a charge for this service?

Accepted Answer

There is no charge for this service. It is actually a money saver when you consider the time and expense of repairing a ruptured line due to hitting a utility which was not located.

Question 3

Do you have to call before you dig?

Accepted Answer

Wisconsin Statute 182.0175 requires you to notify Diggers Hotline before you excavate, grade, trench, dig, drill, augur, tunnel, scrape, plow cable or pipe. Excavation, according to the law, means anything that moves, removes or displaces earth rock or other material in or on the ground.

Question 4

Why should I take the time to make a locate request?

Accepted Answer

Besides the fact that it is the law, the simple call could very well be a time saver in the end. Every time someone digs without calling for a locate, the digger risks hitting an underground utility. This could cut the service to everyone in the area plus it takes more time and money to fix the ruptured line. Most importantly, your safety could be in grave danger if you hit a utility such as a gas or power line.

Question 5

How soon can I dig once the locate request has been placed?

Accepted Answer

t is very important to wait until the legal start date and time assigned (keep your ticket number in case you forget). Beginning work earlier can result in forfeiture of your rights and protections granted under Wisconsin Statute 182.0175. Diggers Hotline will issue the earliest legal start date possible, usually three business days after you contact Diggers Hotline.

Question 6

Are there other ways of make a locate request besides by phone?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can e-mail or use our Remote Entry System. The e-mail option is for anyone making a routine, non emergency or planning locate request. As soon as you have read the instructions and have all the pertinent information available, this is good way to avoid waiting on hold during high call volumes times. The Remote Entry option is for those individuals and companies who make several location requests. There is a mandatory training session for all those who want to use the same programs our Customer Service Reps use in order to help you learn the process.

Question 7

How long is a locate request valid?

Accepted Answer

A ticket remains valid for the life of your project if work begins within 10 calendar days of the legal start date and time and the work is not interrupted for more than 10 days and the locate marks are still intact. It is the excavator's responsibility to get the marks refreshed, when needed. A ticket becomes invalid only if the work did not begin within 10 calendar days of the start date and time, or has been interrupted for more than 10 calendar days, or the locate marks are missing or need refreshing.

Question 8

When should I request a relocate?

Accepted Answer

You may request a relocate after an original locate request ticket has been placed and one of the following conditions exists:
Missing or disturbed locate markings.
Work did not begin within 10 days of the legal start date.
Work was interrupted for more than 10 days.
The original ticket number is required to obtain a relocate. If the original ticket is invalid, it will take three more business days for the relocate request to be filled. For valid tickets, if a crew is on site, facility owners will try to contact you within one hour to let you know the status of your relocate. The facility owners will then generally relocate within four hours. If the crew is not on site, the locators will relocate within 24 hours.

Question 9

What about the depth of underground facilities?

Accepted Answer

Utility owners have no control over depth variation caused by human interference, weather, or other circumstances. As a result, utilities will only mark the location, not the depth of buried facilities.

Question 10

What’s a Planning Ticket?

Accepted Answer

Planning tickets can be used to find out the location of underground facilities when excavation is not in the immediate future, or excavation is just in the "planning" stage. Members of Diggers Hotline will respond to a planning ticket within 10 days after receipt of the notice by conducting field markings, providing records and taking other appropriate responses.

Question 11

If a homeowner hires a contractor, who is responsible for calling Diggers Hotline?"

Accepted Answer

According to the state law, the excavator must notify the one-call center, not the homeowner for whom the work is being done. If you are a contractor, it is your legal duty to call Diggers Hotline; it is not the responsibility of your customer.

Question 12

What happens to the flags that marked underground facilities once excavation work is completed?

Accepted Answer

Once you are done with the job, be sure to remove the flag markers. It is your responsibility to eliminate the flags, as the utilities or their contract locators will not return to your jobsite to do this.

Question 13

What is a private facility?

Accepted Answer

A private facility is a facility that is not owned by a utility or other member of Diggers Hotline; they are owned by homeowners or private businesses who are not required to be members of Diggers Hotline and will not be notified of your intent to dig. As a result, these lines will not be marked after a locate request is processed. Examples of private facilities include propane, electric, gas and/or communications facilities owned by a business or homeowner. It is the excavator's duty to notify the owners of private facilities of their intent to dig.

Question 14

What do the different colored markings stand for?

FAQ