April 5, 2026— State officials are reminding Illinois residents to call 811 before starting any outdoor digging projects as part of Safe Digging Month.
The annual campaign, highlighted by a proclamation from JB Pritzker, encourages both homeowners and professional contractors to have underground utility lines located before digging.
The Illinois Commerce Commission says failing to call 811 can lead to damaged utility lines, service outages, and potential injuries.
Under state law, excavators must contact the one-call system at least three business days before digging. Utility companies then mark the approximate location of underground lines at no cost.
Officials say an underground utility line is damaged every few minutes nationwide due to digging without proper location requests.
Violations can result in penalties. In 2025, the commission issued more than one thousand citations and over three million dollars in fines related to unsafe digging practices.
Officials say the free service is available 24 hours a day and applies to projects of any size.
