Colorado Marks 811 Day: Call Before You Dig to Prevent Utility Damage and 911 Outages

Description: Colorado celebrates 811 Day on Aug. 11, reminding homeowners and contractors to contact 811 at least three business days before digging to protect underground utilities...

Colorado Celebrates August 11 "811 Day" 

Annual commemoration highlights the importance of safe digging best practices.

(DENVER) – The Division of Oil and Public Safety (OPS) within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and Colorado 811 proudly celebrate August 11th as 811 Day in a joint effort to protect Colorado's communities and critical underground utility line infrastructure. Governor Jared Polis has signed a proclamation highlighting the importance of safe digging best practices and honoring professionals and citizens who follow safe digging practices. 

811 Day serves as an annual reminder that contacting Colorado's 811 Center every time before any excavation project, large or small, is required by law to avoid costly and dangerous underground utility line damages. This year's tradition not only falls  within the month of Colorado's sesquicentennial and the country's 250th anniversary, 2026 also marks Colorado 811's 40th anniversary. Colorado established the one-call notification system in 1986 as a fast, easy, and comprehensive way to ensure that underground facilities are properly marked before any digging begins.

"For 40 years, Colorado 811 has helped strengthen communities by protecting the people, homes, businesses, and underground infrastructure Coloradans depend on every day," said Claudia Randall, Executive Director of Colorado 811. "Failure to contact 811 before digging remains the leading cause of underground utility damage and related incidents nationwide—and it is one of the easiest risks to prevent. Every locate request is more than a step in a digging project; it is a commitment to the safety and well-being of our family and neighbors. Looking ahead, I am hopeful that continued education, stronger partnerships, and a shared commitment to contacting 811 in Colorado will bring us closer to a future where preventable damages and injuries are eliminated. Contacting 811 is free, fast, and required by law and can be done 24/7 online or with a simple phone call. Before beginning your next project, visit colorado811.org or call 811 at least three business days before digging—and encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same. For the next 40 years and beyond, let's make every dig a safe dig—contact 811 first."  

"We're proud to work closely with Colorado 811 and support the essential impact their services have on our communities," said Mahesh Albuquerque, director of the Division of Oil and Public Safety at CDLE. "This July, the Underground Damage Prevention Safety Commission awarded Damage Prevention Fund grants to Colorado 811 and Colorado Springs Utilities to support their educational efforts to increase public and worker safety related to excavation and underground facilities. These partnerships and commitments to encouraging safe digging practices, not only help prevent injuries, but also costly damage and service interruptions."

The Colorado PUC Pipeline Safety and Telecom programs work with Colorado 811 to enforce damage prevention plans. In 2025, Colorado experienced six 9-1-1 center outages due to accidental damage to underground telecommunications lines.  

"Calling 8-1-1 before you dig is critical to ensuring that Coloradans maintain access to telecommunications services, including 9-1-1," said Daryl Branson, Telecom Programs Section Chief for the PUC. 

Understanding 811: Your First Step to Safe Digging  

Colorado State law requires anyone — excavators, contractors, and homeowners — to contact 811 before starting any project that includes digging, regardless of depth. By calling 811 or submitting an online request at  colorado811.org, anyone can request a free marking of the location of public underground utilities on the property. This proactive step protects underground utility lines and keeps everyone safe.  

4 Steps to Digging Safely

1. Contact 811:  Call 811 or visit  colorado811.org  to submit a free request to locate public underground utility lines such as gas, electric, water, internet, and more. Remember, 811 marks the location of only publicly owned underground utilities. Private underground utility lines must be marked by a private location company.
2. Wait and Track:  Wait at least 3 full business days and track your ticket on colorado811.org. Utility companies will respond with a message indicating the status of your request.
3. Respect the Marks:  If utilities are present, the location of the utility line will be identified by paint and/or flags. Once marked, maintain the marks to ensure they remain visible while digging so you do not hit the lines below.
4. Dig Carefully:  Dig with care, using extra caution near markings. Always dig cautiously with hand tools when digging within 18 inches of a mark or flag for a public utility line. If you think you may have hit or damaged a utility line, contact the property owner and 811 as soon as you can.

Public vs. Private Utilities: What to Know on 811 Day  

To dig safely, both public and private utility lines must be located before work begins.  811 Day is also the perfect time to highlight the difference between public and private underground utility lines.   

• Public Utility lines are owned and maintained by utility companies, governments, or tribes—these are marked through a free 811 locate request and include water mains, electric lines, internet cables, and more.  
• Private Utility lines are owned by property owners or HOAs. These lines include sprinkler and gas lines, invisible fences, septic system pipes, and other underground lines not registered with Colorado 811. Private utility lines are not marked as part of an 811 locate request and require contacting a private locate firm before digging. Review the list of private locate companies in Colorado here. 

To further underground utility lines damage prevention education, Colorado 811 will host its annual Damage Prevention Summit and Expo on Friday, October 16 at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. This growing and essential education and networking event for Colorado's professional damage prevention community hosts hundreds of attendees from Public Underground Utilities, Professional Excavators, Utility Line Locators and other dedicated industry professionals who come together to learn and discuss best practices to optimally protect Colorado's underground utility infrastructure. The event highlights valuable safety and damage prevention-focused education sessions, a nationally recognized keynote speaker and fun networking activities with grand prize giveaways. More information about the summit is published here.  

About the Division of Oil and Public Safety  

The Division of Oil and Public Safety (OPS) is responsible for a variety of regulatory functions related to environmental and consumer protection and public safety. Program oversight includes amusement rides and devices, explosives use and storage, boilers, conveyances, fuel products, underground and above-ground petroleum storage tanks, cleanup of petroleum spills, reimbursement of cleanup costs to qualifying storage tank owners and operators, and administration of the oversight committee for underground facilities. The division's oversight also includes the Underground Damage Prevention Safety Commission and Fund, which includes enforcement oversight for Colorado 811.  The division is funded by cash funds and federal funding. Learn more at ops.colorado.gov. 

About Public Utilities Commission

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) serves the public interest by effectively regulating utilities and facilities so that the people of Colorado receive safe, reliable, and reasonably priced services consistent with the economic, environmental, and social values of our state. The PUC's oversight includes the Pipeline Safety Program and Telecommunications. Learn more at puc.colorado.gov.

About Colorado 811  

Established in 1986, Colorado 811 is the state's exclusive Utility Notification Center, providing free and fast access to public utility locating services. As a nonprofit organization, Colorado 811 connects anyone planning to dig with the organizations that own underground public utility lines. Our communication services help prevent damage, keep people safe, and ensure essential networks run uninterrupted. For more information, visit  www.colorado811.org

About Colorado 811 Services  

Colorado 811 does not perform utility marking and locating services. Rather, the nonprofit organization serves as the communication link between utility owners and anyone planning to dig in the state, relaying requests for accurate and timely locating services of public underground utilities. Centralizing communication through Colorado 811 helps protect the state's critical public underground infrastructure and keeps people safe. Educating the public and professionals on safe excavation practices through dedicated training, grassroots events, and more is a central component of Colorado 811's mission. 

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