CALL BEFORE YOU DIG 1-800-922-4455

Call Before You Dig (CBYD) is a non-profit clearinghouse comprised of owners and operators of underground utility facilities.  It was established by state statute to protect buried utility facilities such as gas pipes, water mains, telephone and television cables, from damage resulting from any construction or excavation activities, and to ensure the safety of the general public in situations where these underground facilities, particularly gas mains, might be damaged.  Traditionally,  April is declared "Call Before You Dig" month in Connecticut to call attention to the program before the construction season is in full swing.

          Under current law, anyone planning to excavate with mechanized equipment must notify CBYD at least two working days prior to digging.  CBYD then notifies the registered owners of the underground facilities lying in the path of the planned digging so that the owners (usually the utility companies) can mark the locations of those facilities before the excavating begins.

The following color code is used to indicate the various underground plants.
YELLOW = gas, oil, petroleum products, compressed gasses and all other hazardous
                     liquid.
RED = electric power lines or conduits.
PURPLE = radioactive materials.
ORANGE = communication lines or cables, including telephone, telegraph, cable
                      television
BLUE = water.
GREEN = storm and sanitary sewers including force mains.

         With one toll-free call (1-800-922-4455) the CBYD system is activated.  The owners and operators of the buried utility facilities are notified and in turn mark the locations of their facilities according to the standard color codes given above.  The Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) is responsible for the CBYD program, its budget, and enforcing the CBYD laws.  The DPUC conducts investigations of CBYD violations and has the authority to impose fines on negligent excavators or utility companies.