As JULIE, Inc. (JULIE) marks 45 years of damage prevention, the Illinois One-Call System reminds professional excavators and homeowners about the importance of calling 8-1-1 toll free before starting any type of digging project. This is a free service.
With more than 1,940 members and 100 employees, JULIE stresses the importance of calling 8-1-1 or entering a locate request online before any type of digging project, regardless of depth or size, and promotes safe digging practices in Illinois. Founded in August 1974 as a not-for-profit organization, JULIE has logged more than 33 million locate requests since its inception.
“In addition to celebrating our anniversary this month, August 11 serves as a natural reminder to simply call JULIE at 8-1-1 to avoid personal injury and repair costs and to keep communities free of utility damage and inconvenient outages,” said Kevin Chmura, Director of Public Relations at JULIE. “Our helpful call center agents are available 24/7. There is no reason to take a chance when it comes to safety.”
Based in Joliet and covering the entire state of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago, JULIE annually receives 1.5 million locate requests and relays these requests to their member utilities. Its annual call volume makes it one of the largest industry one-call centers in the nation.
"Working closely with our members and other stakeholders, our mission is to prevent damages to underground utilities, the environment and property, reduce service interruptions and costly repairs, and save lives,” Chmura said.
Common examples of projects that require contacting JULIE before digging include putting up a fence; installing a swing set, mail box post or water feature such as a pool, pond or fountain; building a deck; preparing a new garden or landscape area; or planting trees, bushes or shrubs.
When homeowners and contractors call either 8-1-1 or 800-892-0123, they will speak with a JULIE call center agent who will take the location and description of the project site and notify affected member facility owners and operators. Within two business days, these members will then send a professional locator to mark the approximate location of their underground utility lines with small color-code flags or paint at no cost. JULIE personnel do not perform locating or marking services. E-Request is an option for homeowners who prefer to enter their own locate requests. Visit www.illinois1call.com for more information.
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