BC Floods: Request an Emergency Locate Before Trenching or Clean-Up

Update posted February 1, 2024

What you need to know ahead of impending rainstorms

With the news of impending rainstorms affecting British Columbia, BC 1 Call wants to reiterate the importance of contacting BC 1 Call to place a locate request before digging or breaking ground.

Why This Matters

During any state of emergency, avoiding damage to critical infrastructure and personal injury is of utmost importance. Resources are spread thin to deal with extraordinary cleanup work, making it especially important to click or call BC 1 Call before you dig – every time, even in emergencies.

Experiencing Flooding or Cleaning up?

If you are trenching in an emergency situation to protect from floods, or needing to disturb the ground as part of emergency cleanup, please call 1-800-474-6886 to place your emergency locate requests prior to breaking ground.

Flood and disaster “cleanup work” that warrants contacting BC 1 Call includes:

  • digging drainage ditches
  • cleaning up drainage ditches
  • dragging heavy equipment or structures to higher ground

BC 1 Call’s contact centre is fully resourced to handle an increase in emergency locate requests during this state of emergency. If you can wait three business days for our members to respond to a regular locate request placed on-line, then please do not use the emergency process.  That will free our agents up to focus on emergency calls.

Information Required for Emergency Locate Requests

  • Name and contact information
  • How deep will you be digging
  • Exact location of planned excavation
  • When do you plan to begin work
  • Are you digging on public or private property, or both

Having this information ready when you call will ensure our agents can help you quickly and efficiently.

Emergency Locate FAQ’s

  • There are no charges or costs to you for anything associated with this process.
  • Our members will provide you information about what critical underground infrastructure, such as gas or electricity lines, are on your property or job site.
  • If it’s an emergency, our members will respond on an expedited basis.

We understand quick action is needed in emergency situations and our emergency locate service is here for you. Stay safe everyone.

Update posted November 19, 2021

BC 1 Call’s thoughts go out to those affected by the catastrophic floods and mudslides occurring in parts of the province. As flood waters recede and the clean up begins, we want to encourage anyone digging or breaking ground to click or call BC 1 Call before you dig.

In order to avoid further damage to critical infrastructure during this state of emergency, our call centre is fully resourced to handle an increase in emergency locate requests during this critical time. Please call us at 1-800-474-6886 to place your emergency locate request.

By receiving information from our members about what critical infrastructure, such as gas or electricity lines, are on your property you can reduce the risk of injury or further damage.

We understand quick action is needed in emergency situations and our emergency locate service is here for you. 

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