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April Proclaimed Iowa One Call Month
Gov. Thomas J. Vilsack has declared April Iowa One Call Month to remind Iowans to notify Iowa One Call before they plant a tree, shrub, build a fence or do other home excavating this spring. During this year's peak "dig season," from April through October, Iowa One Call will receive more than 300,000 locate requests, of which more than 45,000 will be from homeowners. State law requires all Iowans to notify the free underground facility locating system, at 1-800-292-8989, at least 48 hours (excluding weekends and legal holidays) prior to digging.
Digging into an underground facility (gas, electric, communications, water or sewer) can seriously impact life, health, property and the environment, including a potential disruption of utility services not only for the homeowner but also the entire community. In addition to the obvious hazards, homeowners who damage underground facilities may be subject to extreme financial liability. For example, a severed natural gas line could easily result in an explosion and fire, leaving the responsible party liable for numerous lawsuits, civil penalties and expenses. While civil penalties for "One-Call" violations, in terms of dollar amounts, typically range from four to five figures, it would not be unusual for related liability settlements involving severe circumstances (death, injury, environmental damages, etc.) to exceed six, seven and even eight figures. Having utilities located and marked in advance is the best way to avoid the serious risks and liabilities that may result from encountering underground facilities.
Homeowners may be surprised to learn what actions constitute an excavation. The simple task of pounding a stake or post into the ground can be as detrimental to an underground facility as the blade of a shovel. Iowa law defines "excavation" as an operation in which a structure or earth, rock, or other material in or on the ground is moved, removed, compressed, or otherwise displaced by means of any tools or equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, digging, drilling, driving, grading, scraping, trenching, tiling, tunneling, ditching and demolition of structures. While normal residential gardening activities do not require prior notification, it's a good idea for homeowners to notify Iowa One Call before installing new gardens or using power equipment, such as, garden tillers.
Upon notification, Iowa One Call utilizes a sophisticated mapping system to identify which facility operators maintain underground facilities within a proposed excavation area. Iowa law requires all owner/operators of underground facilities to locate and mark their facilities within 48 hours of the excavator's notice to Iowa One Call (excluding weekends and legal holidays). The approximate location of each underground facility is identified on the ground with paint markings, which are often supplemented with "flag" markers. The color of the paint/flag corresponds with the type of facility (yellow = gas; red = electric; orange = communications; blue = water; and green = sewer). All excavators should avoid digging within the "tolerance zone," an area defined by law as (18) inches on either side of the underground facility. Iowa One Call does not coordinate locates for private facilities (propane lines, lawn irrigation systems, invisible dog fences, electric lines for landscape/yard lighting, etc.).
In 1993, the Iowa legislature enacted statewide legislation of the "One Call" law (Chapter 480, Iowa Code). The Attorney General of Iowa is authorized to enforce the code by filing suit and seeking civil penalties as follows:
The Iowa One Call notification system was established in 1980, with mandatory participation by utilities since 1993. In 2005 the Iowa One Call Center in Davenport handled nearly 418,000 calls and coordinated nearly 2.3 million location requests within Iowa.
____________________________________________
For more information contact:
Ann Foster
Director of Communications
Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives
Ph: 515-727-8945 or E-mail: afoster@iowarec.org
Digging into an underground facility (gas, electric, communications, water or sewer) can seriously impact life, health, property and the environment, including a potential disruption of utility services not only for the homeowner but also the entire community. In addition to the obvious hazards, homeowners who damage underground facilities may be subject to extreme financial liability. For example, a severed natural gas line could easily result in an explosion and fire, leaving the responsible party liable for numerous lawsuits, civil penalties and expenses. While civil penalties for "One-Call" violations, in terms of dollar amounts, typically range from four to five figures, it would not be unusual for related liability settlements involving severe circumstances (death, injury, environmental damages, etc.) to exceed six, seven and even eight figures. Having utilities located and marked in advance is the best way to avoid the serious risks and liabilities that may result from encountering underground facilities.
Homeowners may be surprised to learn what actions constitute an excavation. The simple task of pounding a stake or post into the ground can be as detrimental to an underground facility as the blade of a shovel. Iowa law defines "excavation" as an operation in which a structure or earth, rock, or other material in or on the ground is moved, removed, compressed, or otherwise displaced by means of any tools or equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, digging, drilling, driving, grading, scraping, trenching, tiling, tunneling, ditching and demolition of structures. While normal residential gardening activities do not require prior notification, it's a good idea for homeowners to notify Iowa One Call before installing new gardens or using power equipment, such as, garden tillers.
Upon notification, Iowa One Call utilizes a sophisticated mapping system to identify which facility operators maintain underground facilities within a proposed excavation area. Iowa law requires all owner/operators of underground facilities to locate and mark their facilities within 48 hours of the excavator's notice to Iowa One Call (excluding weekends and legal holidays). The approximate location of each underground facility is identified on the ground with paint markings, which are often supplemented with "flag" markers. The color of the paint/flag corresponds with the type of facility (yellow = gas; red = electric; orange = communications; blue = water; and green = sewer). All excavators should avoid digging within the "tolerance zone," an area defined by law as (18) inches on either side of the underground facility. Iowa One Call does not coordinate locates for private facilities (propane lines, lawn irrigation systems, invisible dog fences, electric lines for landscape/yard lighting, etc.).
In 1993, the Iowa legislature enacted statewide legislation of the "One Call" law (Chapter 480, Iowa Code). The Attorney General of Iowa is authorized to enforce the code by filing suit and seeking civil penalties as follows:
- Up to $10,000 per day for violations related to natural gas lines and hazardous liquids pipelines, not to exceed $500,000 per incident.
- Up to $1,000 per day for violations related to any other underground facilities, not to exceed $20,000 per incident.
The Iowa One Call notification system was established in 1980, with mandatory participation by utilities since 1993. In 2005 the Iowa One Call Center in Davenport handled nearly 418,000 calls and coordinated nearly 2.3 million location requests within Iowa.
____________________________________________
For more information contact:
Ann Foster
Director of Communications
Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives
Ph: 515-727-8945 or E-mail: afoster@iowarec.org
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