Utah is a state on the rise. Our population remains one of America’s fastest growing, our economic growth leads the country, and our unique blend of natural beauty and innovative spirit attracts new residents and businesses daily. From the tech hubs of Silicon Slopes to the Mighty Five national parks, Utah’s place among the nation’s top states is undeniable.
Beneath Utah’s vibrant communities and bustling developments lies a critical, yet often overlooked network: our underground utility infrastructure. Across Utah, thousands of miles of buried utility lines deliver essential services — water, electricity, internet, natural gas and more — that power our homes, businesses and daily lives.
As Utah’s population and economy surge, the demand for new construction also grows. So too does the risk of damage to buried utilities. Across the country, underground utilities are damaged nearly 200,000 times each year, costing the U.S. $30 billion annually. According to Common Ground Alliance data, there are more than 1,700 annual incidents of damage to buried utilities in Utah — nearly five every day.
The consequences of damaging this hidden network aren’t just inconveniences, but serious events that can lead to power outages, gas leaks, water main breaks, costly repairs, and even injuries and fatalities. Each incident disrupts communities, strains emergency services and siphons resources that could be used for Utah’s growth and improvement.
The stakes are high for the Beehive State, but the solution is as simple as three numbers: 811.
Blue Stakes of Utah 811, the state’s one-call 811 center, is a powerful tool to help prevent damage. Utah’s “Call Before You Dig” law requires everyone — from seasoned contractors to weekend gardeners — to contact 811 at least two full business days before breaking ground. It’s a free, simple and crucial step.
When you call 811 — or visit BlueStakes.org — member utility companies are notified of your digging plans and send out professional locators to mark their buried lines with colored paint or flags. This allows for safer digging, helping avoid costly and dangerous damage to essential infrastructure. In the past year, Blue Stakes of Utah 811 handled more than 512,000 requests for utility location — one of its highest volumes in the past 25 years.
Whether you’re a professional excavator on a large construction site or a homeowner planting a new tree, digging without knowing what’s below ground is dangerous. Contacting 811 helps mitigate risk and contributes to the safety and resilience of our entire state.
For homeowners, contacting 811 means protecting your family from potential hazards, safeguarding your property from expensive repairs and ensuring that critical services remain uninterrupted for your neighbors and local businesses. For contractors, it means confidently breaking ground, coming home safely to your family every night and upholding a reputation for safety and professionalism.
Utah has a lot of growth to look forward to, including more than 150 new road projects starting this year across the state, construction on a new $2 billion, 100-acre data center and $20 million in state investment on nearly three dozen outdoor recreation amenities. Just as important as growth is protecting the communities which benefit from these investments, the workers who install and maintain the utilities, and ensuring the reliability of the underground infrastructure making this development possible.
Contacting Blue Stakes of Utah 811 is a simple first step towards ensuring that safety. Commitment from all utility providers to participate in the 811 system and adequately map their utility lines are the critical next steps.
Together, these efforts will secure Utah’s vibrant future and protect the buried utilities on which all Utahns rely — one safe dig at a time.