Call Before You Dig

811 Keeps Our Communities Safe

At Holy Cross Energy, we want every member, neighbor, and contractor working in our territory to know one simple rule: call 811 before you dig.

It’s free. It’s fast. And by Colorado law, it’s required at least three business days before any digging project, big or small.

One call to 811 (or a quick request at colorado811.org) gets underground public utility lines (electric, gas, water, sewer, and more) marked so you know what’s below before the first shovel hits the ground.

Hitting a buried power line doesn’t just mean an expensive repair. It can mean outages for your neighbors, a dangerous situation for you, and real risk to the crews who have to respond. A quick call protects all of that.

Colorado 811

For Homeowners

Planning a garden bed, a new fence, a deck footing, or any project that involves breaking ground? Here’s what to do:

  1. Call 811 or submit a request online at least three full business days before you plan to dig. Online requests are available anytime at colorado811.org — no need to wait on hold.
  2. Wait for your ticket. Utility owners, including Holy Cross Energy, will respond to confirm the location of our lines — or let you know none are present.
  3. Look for the marks. Crews use paint and flags to show where lines run. Keep those marks visible and intact until your project is done.
  4. Dig with care. Within 18 inches of any marked line, switch to hand tools and take it slow. Encourage anyone helping you — a neighbor, a landscaper — to do the same.

One important note: 811 only locates public utility lines. Private lines you’ve installed yourself, like a line to a detached garage or a buried irrigation system, won’t show up in a locate request, so keep those in mind, too.

Find a private locator for a secondary line >

A small project can still hit a big line. Whether you’re planting a tree or building a patio, take the three days. It’s a small pause that keeps you, your family, and your community safe.

811 for Residential digging

For Contractors & Excavators

You know the drill, and we’re glad to have partners in the field who take damage prevention seriously. A few reminders to keep every job running smoothly and safely:

  1. Submit your ticket before every project — every time, every site — using Colorado 811’s Excavator Ticket Entry. Online submission is available 24/7, so you can plan around your schedule, not a hold queue.
  2. Honor the three-business-day wait, and track your ticket status online so you know exactly where things stand before crews mobilize.
  3. Respect positive response. Confirm that all affected utility owners, including Holy Cross Energy, have posted a response before you begin work.
  4. Protect the marks in the field. Once lines are located, make sure paint and flags stay visible throughout the job — re-mark if needed rather than guessing.
  5. Hand-dig within the tolerance zone. Within 18 inches of any marked utility, use hand tools and proceed with care. It’s the law, and it’s good practice.
  6. If you make contact, stop and report it immediately — even for a near-miss. Fast reporting protects your crew, our members, and the public.

Damage prevention is a shared responsibility, and we appreciate the contractors who treat it that way. A few extra minutes of planning protects your crew, keeps power flowing for our members, and keeps everyone’s project on schedule.

811 for Professionals
SECONDARY LINE EXTENSION

Locate your secondary line

Secondary service lines run from the transformer (green box) to your home or business. 811 does not locate HCE underground secondary power lines. Contact a local private locator to make sure all underground lines are marked before you dig. As a member, you are responsible for maintenance and repair of secondary service lines.

Find a Private Locator