Below are a few tips on filing an Email-a-Locate. Please note that users should also be familiar with the information at http://www.diggershotline.com/disclaimer.html. Information on this page is intended to help users complete the form and submit a locate request online.
In order for Email-a-Locate to work, your web browser needs to have the Java applet installed. Most browsers have Java installed. If yours does not, you can download it for free at: http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp
When you begin filing your Email-a-Locate you will click on the Homeowner link and you will be brought to an internet form page. The form fields with a red star on the left are required fields and need to be filled out correctly in order for the your request to be processed.
Contact name, Phone, E-mail: This is your contact information. This should be a phone number where you can be reached if there are any questions. When the Diggers Hotline representative finalizes your request, we will e-mail you a copy of the locate request with your ticket number and start date and time.
Address, Street, City, State, Zip Code: This is your mailing address, not necessarily the address of your job site. Please note that the two are often the same, but not always.
Field Contact, Phone: This is the name and phone number of the person who will be doing the digging work. If the name and phone number match the name and phone number listed in the above fields, you can simply click on the Same button and the information will automatically fill in.
City/County Search: Use the municipality search to select the correct city, town or village that your excavation will take place.
In the search field, type in the first few letters of the city, town or village that your work will take place in and click the Search button. Select the correct option from the pull-down menu. In the pull down menu the city, town or village will be listed on the left with the county in which it is located listed to the right. Double check the county because there can be municipalities of the same name in multiple counties.
Also, make sure you use the actual municipality where the work site resides. The mailing address may have a different municipality than the actual location of the job site. Always refer to the actual location. For example, a mailing address could have
Address number: This is the numeric portion of the address of your excavation site. Do not enter your street into this field.
Street name: Use the street name search field to get the correct information in the street field. Type all or part of the street name in the search field and click the Search button. Select the correct street name from the pull down menu. You may have better success if you leave directions and labels out of your search. For example, it may work better to search “
If your street does not appear in the street pull-down menu, click "Specify if not listed" and type in the name of your street in the empty field.
Side of Street: What side of the street is your dig location on? Use the pull-down menu to select the correct option.
Choose the nearest intersecting street: The mapping system Diggers Hotline uses requires the distance and direction from the nearest intersecting street. Select the nearest street from the pull-down menu or click "Specify if not listed" and type the street name in the field. Next type the numeric distance in the designated field and select the unit of measurement (FT, MI, BLK or YRD) and direction from the pull-down menus.
Work Start Date: These fields automatically default to three working days in the future. Please keep in mind that your legal start date and time will be three working days after the call center processes your Email-a-Locate request.
Work Type: Choose from the pull-down menu the type of work you plan on doing. You may also click "Specify if not listed" and type what type of work you will doing in the empty field.
Marking Instructions: Select one of the marking instructions from the pull-down menu or type your instructions in the blank field. Marking instructions should indicate a geographic area where your dig site is located and where you would like the utilities to mark their underground lines. Examples of marking instructions include; mark a 10-foot radius of the tree stump in the NW corner of the lot, mark the area west of the house from the sidewalk to the fence, mark the entire back yard are all examples of marking instructions.
Remarks: Any additional useful information should be entered into this field. The approximate size of the lot, the distance the work will take place off the road and the exact intersection when a road intersects more than once are some examples of useful remarks.
Diggers Hotline is Wisconsin's one-call center. Anyone in the state who is digging, excavating or disturbing the soil is required by law to contact Diggers Hotline at least three working days before beginning work.