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Alliant Energy Urges Customers to “Call Before You Dig”


WEBWIRE

Knowing the location of overhead lines is equally important

For many people, warm sunny weather means that it’s time to get outside and work on home improvements. Whether you’re landscaping, installing a fence, or building a deck, Alliant Energy urges you to “call before you dig.”

“Keeping our customers and employees safe is one of Alliant Energy’s top priorities,” says Rosanne Rogers Latsch, manager-Gas Compliance and Operations Support. “The benefits of this free service are invaluable. Not only can it prevent utility service interruptions, but it can save lives as well.”

Calling before you dig is not only smart – it’s the law. To get facilities marked, you can now make one easy phone call to 811 from anywhere in the United States. Your call will be routed to the appropriate One-Call Center.

You can also contact your state’s One-Call Center directly. Wisconsin residents should call at least three working days before starting a project, and residents in Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa should call at least two working days before beginning a project. Local One-Call Center operators will notify member utilities that they need to mark the location of underground lines. Utility companies will then send a professional to mark lines at no charge.

* In Illinois: JULIE, Inc., 1-800-892-0123
* In Iowa: Iowa One-Call, 1-800-292-8989
* In Minnesota: Gopher State One-Call, 1-800-252-1166
* In Wisconsin: Diggers Hotline, 1-800-242-8511

Once the lines have been marked and you begin digging, stay at least 24 inches away from the marked lines (distance requirements vary by state, so ask for guidelines when you contact the One-Call Center).
Knowing the location of overhead lines is equally important

If you want to plant a tree under overhead power lines, select small ornamental trees or shrubs that will not exceed 15 feet in height, such as serviceberry, dogwood and certain evergreen species. If you are choosing a maple, basswood, burr oak, white pine or spruce tree, these species must be planted a minimum of 50 feet from overhead power lines because they typically grow 40 feet or more in height, and can cause severe damage to lines.

Also, plant bushes and trees at least 10 feet away from pad-mounted electrical equipment (green boxes often located at the edge of a property). Crews performing routine maintenance and/or emergency equipment repair require 10 feet of work space to access the equipment.

If you have questions or concerns, or to report an outage, please call 1-800-ALLIANT (1-800-255-4268) or visit www.alliantenergy.com/pipelinesafety.



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