In October 1995, the One-Call Notification System Act was passed into law. This law requires all owners and operators of underground utilities join the statewide one-call notification center.

The one-call center is designed to protect underground utilities, as well as excavators, by notifying all area utilities when an excavation is to occur. Nebraska's one-call notification center is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and is referred to as Diggers Hotline of Nebraska .

When Diggers Hotline is notified of an intent to dig, they will inform the caller of all the utility companies that will be notified. Utility companies are notified for the purpose of marking their buried utility to prevent any damage to that utility. A typical locate request could include the following: Black Hills Energy; Time Warner Cablevision, Windstream; LES and the City of Lincoln. There are many other utilities located in street right of ways that could be contacted also.

When Lincoln Utilities are notified, the City of Lincoln will locate for water, wastewater, storm sewer, traffic signals and downtown ornamental lighting, and downtown sprinkler systems. The water and wastewater mains throughout the City of Lincoln are owned by the City. However, the water and wastewater (sewer) service lines are owned by the property owner and are not the City's responsibility to locate and mark. To protect the water main connection the, Lincoln Water System will mark the property's water stop box if work is being done in the right-of-way.

Calling Diggers Hotline of Nebraska before digging is easy and free. Calling costs nothing but a few minutes of your time and may save you money and your life. Call statewide 1-800-331-5666. A new national line has also been established to reach any area One Call center. Dialing 811 will connect you with the nearest center nationwide.

For complete information on this topic or to make a locate request, please visit Diggers Hotline of Nebraska website.

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