Safe Digging Starts with 811
Whether you are planting a new garden bed, installing a fence, or setting up a mailbox, any project that involves putting a shovel in the ground requires a quick check with 811. Before you start any digging project on your property, contacting 811 online or by phone is the single best way to keep your home and community safe.
Protect Your Property and Neighbors
Hitting a buried utility line while digging can disrupt essential services like water, electricity, or your high-speed fiber internet connection. It can also incur expensive repair costs or cause serious personal injury. Calling 811 prevents these accidents and ensures local infrastructure remains secure.
Because RiverStreet serves communities across both North Carolina and Virginia, it is important to know the specific safe digging guidelines for your state before you pick up a shovel.
Select Your State for Local 811 Rules
If You Are Digging in North Carolina (NC811)
- Required Advance Notice: You must contact NC811 at least 3 full business days before you intend to begin digging. The three-day clock officially begins at 11:59 p.m. on the day you submit your request.
- The Process: You can call 811 or use the NC811 Single Ticket online portal to submit your request. You will receive a tracking ticket number.
- Confirming Before You Dig: You must wait for all utilities to respond through the Positive Response System (PRN). If a utility provider has not responded by your deadline, you must request a Second Notice or a 3-Hour Ticket before touching the ground.
If You Are Digging in Virginia (VA811)
- Required Advance Notice: You must contact VA811 at least 48 hours in advance of your project. This timeline equals 2 working days, and the official clock begins at 7:00 a.m. on the next working day after your request is submitted.
- The Process: You can call 811 or file a Single Address Ticket (SAT) online through the VA811 web portal.
- Confirming Before You Dig: Virginia state law strictly requires you to check the Positive Response System (WebTM) before digging. You must receive a clear or marked status from every single utility listed on your ticket before it is legally safe to work.
What Happens After the 811 Request?
Once you submit your ticket in either state, the 811 process is entirely free:
- Site Visit: A professional utility locator will visit your home or business.
- Free Location: The locator will identify and map out underground utility lines at no cost to you.
- Clear Marking: They will place colored flags or paint to show you precisely where lines are buried so you can avoid them.
The universal colors shown above tell you exactly what is buried beneath your property. For example, red indicates electric lines, while orange indicates communication lines, which includes the fiber optic cables providing your internet connection. Always dig carefully outside of these marked paths.
Important: Infrastructure Protection and Fees
At RiverStreet, we continuously invest in our fiber network to provide reliable, uninterrupted connectivity to our communities. To protect local infrastructure, property owners or contractors who damage a buried line without a valid, active 811 ticket will be held financially responsible. A standard fee of $249 will be charged if a RiverStreet line is cut or damaged without contacting 811 prior to digging. Taking a few minutes to submit a free request keeps your neighborhood connected and protects you from unnecessary expenses.
Your Trusted Local Partner
At RiverStreet, we care about the safety, reliability, and well-being of the communities we serve. Protecting local infrastructure ensures that everyone stays connected to the digital world when they need it most.