Planning is Essential for Safe Digging

Apr 9, 2012 12:00 PM ET

Planning is essential for safe digging, especially because you must call AT LEAST 48 hours before you plan to dig. After calling 811, utilities have at least 48 hours to come out and mark their lines with a color-coded paint or flagging system.

  • Red indicates electric power lines, conduit and cables.
  • Yellow represents gas, oil, petroleum or gaseous materials.
  • Orange is used for communication, alarm or signal lines.
  • Blue is the color used to indicate potable water.
  • Purple is reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines.
  • Green is the color for sewers and drain lines.
  • Pink is used to indicate temporary survey markings.
  • White is used before the locating services to mark the proposed excavating site.

Learn more about the 811 process in this attached video.

  AEP - American Electric Power AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S.  AEP also owns the nation's largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.   AEP's utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia, West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas).