Submit A Request

Contact JULIE Before You Dig

Planting, building, adding or fixing anything outdoors? Know what’s below. Get your underground utility lines marked before you start digging. It’s a free service that could save you time, costly utility repairs, and even your life. Online or over the phone, JULIE’s request system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

1: Identify Your Dig Area

Once you’ve determined where you want to dig, premark the area using white paint, stakes or flags. This allows the utility locators to understand the size and scope of your project.

2: Submit A Request

It’s easy…and it’s FREE. Simply submit an E-Request to avoid possible hold times or call 811. But first, have the following information handy to speed up the process.

• Contact name, email and phone number
• Property address including county, city or township
• Type and location of digging project
• Special instructions about the property or project
• Earliest date and time the project will start

The law requires you contact JULIE at least two business days before you plan to start digging! But don’t submit a request for work that’s more than 14 days in the future. Calls or E-Requests received after 4 p.m. will be processed as if received at 8 a.m. the next business day. Remember, weekends and holidays are not considered business days when scheduling. View a list of holidays here.

3: Wait For The Paint Or Flags

After you receive email confirmation from JULIE, utility members locate and mark underground utility lines on your property with colored paint and flags. They may mark an All Clear with a painted OK or contact you if nothing is in conflict with your site. Make sure you are notified by all utilities listed on your ticket before digging and never dig until the date and time indicated on your confirmation.
Please note: JULIE personnel are not locators and will not visit your property. Member utility companies mark their own lines. Learn more.

4: Respect The Markings

Knowing where underground utilities are located helps keep you safe! So don’t move or destroy any flags, paint or other markings until you have finished your digging project.

5: Dig With Care

Use hand tools when digging within 18 inches of a marked underground line and always pay close attention to your surroundings. Contact the utility owner, as well as JULIE, if you think you have struck or damaged a line. Never try to repair it yourself.

Every Project. Every Time.

Wondering if you need to contact JULIE before you dig? When in doubt, let us help you out. Click here for examples of common DIY projects that require a locate request. And remember to always contact JULIE Before You Dig.

Online Ticket Request for Professional Excavators

JULIE offers a self-service, no-cost option for professional excavators working in Illinois who want to enter and submit their own locate requests.  Excavators must complete a free, one-hour webinar training course to use Remote Ticket Entry (RTE).  Click here to learn more.

In addition, another helpful self-service program for excavators is the Remark-Extend-View (REV) tool.