Click, Call or Check Before You Dig

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 30, 2020

With construction and gardening season underway, the City of West Kelowna reminds everyone – contractors and residents – to click, call or check before digging – the service is free!

From water main breaks to natural gas line leaks and damage to sewers and drains, the repercussions of not checking before breaking ground can cause injuries or even death, delay your project, impact utility services provided in the community and damage your property and the surrounding area. Do not let this happen to you, your team or your community.

Just follow one very simple step to eliminate the risk: click, call or check before you dig. BC 1 Call will notify the registered owners of buried facilities who will provide the mapping of locates that will keep you and your teams safe, reduce or eliminate unnecessary project costs, avoid delays and prevent service disruptions that can result from broken utility lines.

With water main breaks and natural gas line leaks causing ongoing issues in the region, and costing millions of dollars in damage on sites throughout BC, all contractors and residents need to know that locate mapping is not a suggestion, it is a requirement – for every excavation.

In addition, City Utilities staff continue to find situations where “on and offsite” work is taking place that impacts the public road right of way/allowance and is being conducted without the required permits.

How to request a locate

Online: 24/7 at bc1c.ca

By Phone: Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (excluding holidays) at 1-800-474-6886

Emergency calls: Any time, any day at 1-800-474-6886

How to secure permits for private property

In-person access to City of West Kelowna Municipal Hall is currently restricted due to COVID-19 guidelines. So, please contact the City of West Kelowna Building Department, 778-797-8820, for requirements/permits regarding building of patios, decks, out buildings, renovations, or any other improvements on private property.

How to secure permits for work in the public road right of way or allowance

In-person access to the office is currently restricted due to COVID-19 guidelines. Please contact the City of West Kelowna Engineering Department, 778-797-8840, if your dig (or equipment staging etc.) is not on private property and in the public road right of way / allowance. You will likely need a “Highways Permit” for this work.