CALL BEFORE YOU DIG!
If you are planning a project that involves digging, Michigan law requires that the underground utility lines must be flagged BEFORE you start digging.
Contact Miss Dig
BWL encourages you to visit the Miss Dig website to learn about the services they provide and your responsibilities prior to excavation. Get the information you need to protect yourself from making contact with underground lines.
Request a Locate Ticket
Contact Miss Dig online, or by calling 811 or 1-800-482-7171 to request a Locate Ticket. As the requestor, you'll indicate the areas to be marked for your project and the date you will start digging. There is no cost to request a locate ticket.
Check Your Status
Prior to digging, you should visit the website to check the status of your request. For homeowners, you will click on the 'Check Status' button in the Home Owners section. Contractors will click on the 'Positive Response' button in the Excavators section; both are located on the Miss Dig homepage. If the ticket has not been completed yet, DO NOT START DIGGING. Follow the instructions for making a second request.
Request Design Tickets
Some contractors are not sure where they may want to excavate before starting a large project. This is where design tickets are helpful. You will still need to request through Miss Dig so BWL can provide information showing underground utilities they may encounter. Once that information is provided, the designer will be able to determine the exact location, considering where current facilities are located. Once this has been determined, the excavator should request a locate ticket.
BWL Flag Color Meaning
Every year, more and more facilities are installed underground. BWL locators will mark water facilities with blue paint and/or flags, and red is used for electric. You may see other colors from other companies that have facilities, as they mark their underground lines.
Can I pull the flags out to mow?
Please do not remove the flags until the work has been performed. If you're mowing, please mow as close as you can without running over the flags. You may think you can put the flag in the same spot, but this could cause an electric or water line to be hit. This could cause service interruptions, costly damages, serious injury or worse if an energized electric line is accidentally hit.
Please do not remove the flags or cover up the paint.