Before you digSummertime means construction time. Utilities, including Le-Ax, are extending and upgrading service throughout southern Ohio. New homes are being built, and existing homes are remodeled. State, county, and township highway departments are building and repairing roads and bridges and replacing culverts and bridges. New fences are being built, and old ones repaired.

All this construction can add up to giant headaches for utility companies. Any post hole drilled, any ditch cleaned, and trench dug has the potential for interrupting utility service in a wide spread area. Not only may service by interrupted but also in the case of electric, gas or high-pressure water lines, serious injury may result. To avoid service interruptions and injury, state law requires that anyone doing any underground construction give 48 hours notice before beginning excavation.

Fortunately for property owners and utility companies alike, there is an answer. Call the Ohio Utilities Protection Service (O.U.P.S.). Call O.U.P.S. AT 1-800-362-2764. All registered utility companies in the area will be notified of your excavation plans, and will locate and mark their utilities. Remember, this not only makes sense, it is the law.