Q: What is MISS DIG?

A: MISS DIG is Michigan's statewide one-call notification system that was developed in order to provide excavators and the general public the ability to inform multiple owners of underground facilities of excavation with a single call. MISS DIG is a not-for-profit independent company that processes information from excavators and passes that information on to affected utilities. MISS DIG does not do any physical locating and marking of buried facilities in the field, therefore, MISS DIG is not responsible for incorrect marking or damages resulting from failing to mark in a timely fashion.
 

Q: Do I have to call before I dig?

A: Michigan's statute, Act 53 of Public Act 1974, requires anyone who engages in or is responsible for the planning or performance of any type of excavation e.g.; grading, demolition, cultivating, augering, blasting, or boring to provide advance notice of at least three full working days to MISS DIG at 800-482-7171. The call center is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to take ticket requests. MISS DIG must be called prior to excavation in order to comply with the state statute. You must, however, contact the utility company directly in the event of a utility line damage. MISS DIG does not process that type of information.
 

Q: How soon can I dig once the locate request has been placed?

A: It is very important to wait until the legal start date and time assigned. Beginning work earlier can result in forfeiture of your rights and protections granted under Michigan statute, Act 53 of Public Act 1974. MISS DIG will issue the earliest legal start date possible, usually three business days after you contact MISS DIG.
 

Q: How long is a locate request valid?

A: A ticket remains valid for 21 calendar days after the legal dig start date requested on the MISS DIG ticket. It is, however, the excavator's responsibility to get the marks refreshed when needed. A ticket becomes invalid only if the work continues past 21 calendar days, or the locate marks are missing or need refreshing. In certain situations, MISS DIG may issue a project ticket that will remain valid for 180 calendar days.
 

Q: When should I request a re-stake?

A: You may request a relocate after an original locate request ticket has been placed and one of the following conditions exists:

• Missing or disturbed locate markings.
• Work did not begin on the legal start date.
• Work was interrupted for several days.

The original ticket number is required to obtain a re-stake. If the original ticket is invalid, it will take three more business days for the relocate request to be filled. For valid tickets, the facility owners will then generally relocate the site as soon as possible.  
 

Q: What about the depth of underground facilities?

A: Utility owners have no control over depth variation caused by human interference, weather, or other circumstances. As a result, utilities will only mark the approximate location, not the depth of buried facilities.
 

Q: Why do I have to hand dig around a marked facility?

A: Locating is not an exact science, and, therefore, the actual location of the facility could vary from the position of the marks. Also, state law mandates hand exposure of marked lines prior to the use of power equipment.
 

Q: What is Positive Response?

A: Positive Response is a system housed at the MISS DIG center that will allow any participating member or their authorized locating contractor to provide status of dig tickets sent to them by MISS DIG. Once the member or the locating contractor determines the status of the ticket, such as clear or marked, they can then post that response to the system. The posted status is then attached to the ticket and stored on the Positive Response server. The posted status can then be retrieved by the requester of the ticket at http://newtina.missdig.org/newtinweb/gen_resp_inquiry.nas , or by using the interactive voice response system at 800-763-3888.
 

Q: If a homeowner hires a contractor to do excavation work, who is responsible for calling MISS DIG?

A: According to the state law, the excavator must notify the one-call center, not the homeowner for whom the work is being done. If you are a contractor, it is your legal duty to call MISS DIG; it is not the responsibility of your customer.
 

Q: What happens to the flags that marked underground facilities once excavation work is completed?

A: Once you are done with the job, be sure to remove the flag markers. Utilities or their contract locators will not return to your jobsite to remove marks or flags.
 

Q: What is a private facility?

A: A private facility is a facility that is not owned by a utility or other member of MISS DIG; they are owned by homeowners and private businesses who are not required to be members of MISS DIG and therefore will not be notified of your intent to dig. As a result, these lines will not be marked after a locate request is processed. Examples of private facilities include electric, gas and/or communications facilities owned by a business or homeowner-owned electricity to a detached garage, underground sprinkler systems, or invisible dog fences. It is the excavator's duty to notify the owners of private facilities of their intent to dig.