LOUISVILLE — According to a report by the Kentucky State Data Center at the University of Louisville, the state’s population is expected to grow more than 6% by 2050. This growth comes alongside record-level investments in industries like manufacturing and automobiles. However, it’s the infrastructure underground that supports this growth and can be easily destroyed by well-meaning Kentuckians.
By Sarah Magruder Lyle and Tim Vaughn
Educating the general public on Kentucky’s underground infrastructure is vital because damages to buried utilities are happening every day. In 2023, Kentucky saw 719 incidents that damaged infrastructure supporting essential services our communities depend on, like power, water, and internet. That’s almost two cases of underground utility damage each day in Kentucky alone from professional excavators and do-it-yourself private digging projects. These incidents aren’t only dangerous, they are expensive. Nationwide, utility damage happens hundreds of thousands of times a year and costs an astronomical $30 billion annually, in addition to disrupting businesses and threatening the safety of communities across the country.
Kentucky is working hard to combat this. The state’s “Call Before You Dig” law requires everyone who digs to contact Kentucky 811 at least two full business days before breaking ground. This includes both individuals and businesses. Upon receipt of a locate request, Kentucky 811 notifies member utilities or their contract locators to request that they mark their buried utility lines in the area of the dig site. This is a free service and a critical step that not only mitigates the likelihood of neighborhood and business outages, but also protects community members from the risk of injury or fatalities.
Unfortunately, this law does not require all utilities to be members of Kentucky 811. When utilities are not part of the 811 process, there is a significant risk that important utilities are not located, even when contractors use the free 811 service, putting communities at risk. Together, Kentucky 811 and the Damage Prevention Action Center (DPAC) are focused on streamlining solutions and making the safe digging process as efficient as possible. Both organizations advocate for public policies that protect communities and the investment so many are making – such as requiring that all utilities be members of Kentucky 811, so that contractors and homeowners know what’s below before breaking ground.
When Kentucky businesses, utilities and communities work together, we can prevent damage to the underground infrastructure that will help power Kentucky through 2050 and beyond.
Sarah Magruder Lyle is executive director of the Damage Prevention Action Center (DPAC), and Tim Vaughn is executive director of Kentucky 811.
