We’ve seen several people who post on both Facebook and neighborhood chat groups wondering what the spray paint markings on their tree lawn or street represent. Above is a good reference to help you understand what work might be proposed for your area. Often these “Location Markers” are sprayed onto the ground by an organization called 811-DIG. It is a free service funded by a conglomeration of various utility companies. It is not used exclusively by utility or construction firms, though that is the most often client. It can also be used by the ordinary homeowner. So, if you have a project that calls for trenching or digging in your property, call 811 at least 48 hours before you dig. They will come out and mark any buried pipes or lines in your yard — for free! They do not work in conjunction with any local building departments and they do not notify those building departments. They do this free service to keep everyone safe.
Every three minutes in this country, someone digs up or punctures a buried line or cable!
In some of these older inner ring suburbs like Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights there are surprising hidden treasures buried underground. Although the word “treasure” might be a bit of a misnomer because usually it can be costly to excavate and remove. Back in the “old days” it was not uncommon for some of the older large homes to have large cast iron vessels for heating oil or even gasoline buried on their property. So, before you call in a backhoe for a landscaping project or even put a shovel in the ground for a trench, please call 811 before you dig.
