Joliet, IL guide
Illinois doesn't use “811” or “Dig Safe” as its call-before-you-dig brand — it's JULIE. Here's exactly when Illinois law requires you to call before digging, and how that connects to where a Forge roll-off actually gets set down in Joliet.
If you've searched around for Illinois' call-before-you-dig rules, you've probably seen the number 811 mentioned everywhere — and that's correct, but it's only half the picture. Illinois' actual call-before-you-dig service has its own name: JULIE, short for Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators. Dial 811 anywhere in Illinois and you're routed straight to JULIE. It is not the New England “Dig Safe” system, and it isn't a generic national hotline — it's Illinois' own not-for-profit utility notification center, and Will County and the City of Joliet fall squarely under it. This guide covers what Illinois law actually requires before you dig, and — since this is the question we get most from Forge customers — exactly how that requirement connects to where a roll-off dumpster gets set down on your property. As always, confirm current details directly with JULIE before your project, since notice windows and procedures can be updated.
JULIE is Illinois' statewide underground utility notification center. Member utility companies — electric, gas, water, sewer, communications, and more — use JULIE as the single clearinghouse for locate requests instead of each homeowner or contractor having to track down and call every individual utility separately. You call once, JULIE notifies every affected member utility, and each one sends a locator out to mark their own buried lines on your property, at no cost to you. It's reachable at 811 or (800) 892-0123, or online through the e-request tool at illinois1call.com. Every reference you'll see on Illinois permits, city websites, and Will County guidance points back to JULIE specifically — not to a generic “811 service.” Calling 811 in Joliet gets you JULIE. They're the same call.
Illinois law is direct about this: you must notify JULIE at least 3 business days, but not more than 10 business days, before any digging project begins — regardless of the project's size or depth. That covers everything from a homeowner setting fence posts to a contractor excavating a full basement addition. Business days exclude weekends and JULIE's seven recognized holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas), so a Friday afternoon call doesn't start your clock until the following Monday.
The requirement applies to everyone who plans to disturb the ground — homeowners and licensed excavators alike. There's no exemption for “it's just a small hole” or “I'm only going a few inches down.” Shallow buried lines are exactly the ones people hit, because nobody expects a gas or fiber line four inches under the lawn.
Once JULIE receives your request, member utilities have 3 business days to respond and mark their lines with paint or flags. Your locate request stays valid for 25 days from the day you submit it, and you can request a free 25-day extension online or by phone if your project runs long. Before you dig, use JULIE's online Positive Response tool to confirm every listed utility has actually responded — a passed start date doesn't mean it's clear to dig if one utility hasn't checked in yet.
JULIE member utilities mark the lines they own: electric, gas, water mains, sanitary and storm sewer, and communications/cable. Illinois excavators and JULIE both follow the standard APWA color code, so flags and spray paint on your lawn generally mean:
| Color | What it marks |
|---|---|
| Red | Electric power lines and cables |
| Yellow | Gas, oil, steam, or other flammable/gaseous lines |
| Orange | Communications, cable TV, alarm or signal lines |
| Blue | Potable water |
| Green | Sewer and drain lines |
| Purple | Reclaimed water, irrigation lines |
| Pink | Temporary survey markings |
| White | Proposed excavation — this is the color you use to pre-mark the dig area before JULIE's locators arrive, which Illinois law requires |
Note the last row: before you even call, Illinois law requires you to pre-mark your own project area in white paint or white flags (black if there's snow on the ground) so locators know exactly where to check. It's a small step that's easy to skip and technically required.
What JULIE doesn't mark is just as important: privately installed or privately owned lines. That includes a homeowner's own irrigation system, invisible pet fencing, low-voltage landscape lighting, a private well line, a septic system's lines and leach field, or a propane line running from a tank to the house. Older Joliet neighborhoods and properties on well and septic systems out toward the county line are where private lines are most likely to exist and least likely to be documented anywhere. If your project touches ground that might have private utilities, JULIE's public locate doesn't cover you — you may need a private locating service too.
Here's the practical question most Forge customers actually have: does dropping a roll-off dumpster on my driveway or lawn count as “digging” that triggers the JULIE requirement? In most cases, no — setting an empty container down on an existing paved driveway or the street doesn't disturb the ground, so it isn't excavation under Illinois law. But the placement of the dumpster and the reason you rented it are two different things, and treating them as separate calls is where the real risk shows up:
So the honest answer: the dumpster itself rarely needs a JULIE call, but the job it's there for very often does. Think about the whole project, not just where the box lands.
If your Joliet project includes any excavation, here's the order that avoids delays on both ends:
Illinois takes this seriously enough to put real enforcement behind it. Under the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) can levy fines for excavating without proper notice, with penalties reported up to $1,000 to $5,000 per violation depending on severity, culpability, and prior history. That's on top of whatever it costs to repair a severed gas, water, or fiber line — which, for a homeowner or contractor who caused the damage, is rarely cheap and can also mean liability for a utility outage affecting neighbors. A free phone call and a few days' wait is a much better trade than a damaged line, a fine, and a delayed project.
| Situation | Call JULIE first? |
|---|---|
| Setting a dumpster on an existing paved driveway, no digging planned | Not required, but check for above-ground utility equipment nearby |
| Dumpster for a demolition or slab removal job where digging follows | Yes — call before the dig phase begins, even if the dumpster shows up first |
| Fence posts, deck footings, mailbox post, tree/stump removal | Yes, always — depth doesn't matter under Illinois law |
| Pool installation, sewer/water line repair, driveway regrade | Yes — call 3-10 business days ahead and wait for all marks |
| Placing a dumpster on unpaved lawn or gravel near a gas meter or shutoff | Yes if any ground disturbance is possible — confirm what's buried nearby |
| Roofing tear-off, junk removal, estate cleanout — no ground disturbance | Not required for JULIE; still watch above-ground service drops and meters |
We're not a utility locator and we don't submit JULIE requests on your behalf — that call has to come from the property owner or the excavator doing the work. What we do is work around it: we'll ask what the project involves when you book, flag it if your planned dumpster spot looks like it needs a second look, and coordinate delivery timing so the container shows up when you're actually ready to fill it — not sitting in the way of a locate crew, and not delivered before your marks are even in. If you're also dealing with placing a container in the street or public right-of-way in Joliet, pair this guide with our street placement and permit guide, since that's a separate city requirement from JULIE's utility locate. For sizing help once you know the scope of digging and debris involved, see our dumpster size guide, or just call us and describe the job.
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From this guide
Yes. 811 is the national three-digit number that routes you to your state's local call-before-you-dig center, and in Illinois that center is JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators). Dialing 811 anywhere in Illinois, including Joliet and Will County, connects you directly to JULIE. You can also reach JULIE at (800) 892-0123 or submit a request online at illinois1call.com.
Illinois law requires notifying JULIE at least 3 business days, but not more than 10 business days, before you start digging, regardless of the project's size or depth. Weekends and JULIE's seven recognized holidays don't count toward the 3-day minimum, so plan around those when you're timing a call.
Usually not for the delivery itself — setting a container on an existing driveway or paved area doesn't disturb the ground. But if the project the dumpster is there for involves any digging (fence posts, a pool, a sewer repair, a driveway regrade, or excavation following a demolition), that project needs a JULIE call, even though the dumpster placement alone wouldn't.
JULIE member utilities only mark the lines they own — electric, gas, water mains, sewer, and communications. Privately installed lines such as irrigation systems, invisible pet fencing, low-voltage landscape lighting, septic system lines, private wells, and propane lines from a tank to a house are not covered by a standard JULIE locate and may need a private locating service.
Under the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act, the Illinois Commerce Commission can fine excavators and homeowners who dig without proper notice, with penalties reported as high as $1,000 to $5,000 per violation depending on the circumstances. That's before accounting for the cost of repairing any utility line that gets damaged, which is almost always far more than the price of a phone call.
A JULIE locate request is valid for 25 days from the day you submit it. If your project runs longer, you can request a free 25-day extension online or by phone before the original ticket expires, rather than starting the whole process over.
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