Additional Information » Damage Prevention Law

The Texas damage prevention law (Utilities Code Title 5, Chapter 251) took effect October 1, 1998. This law requires most facility owners to join a notification (or one-call) center and requires most excavators to call 48-hours before they dig.

It also requires a one-call center operating in Texas to share messages it receives with any other notification centers. This provision is to ensure that excavators need only make one call to notify most buried facility owners, and that facility owner/operators need only participate in one center.

TESS supports the current open market organization of the "call before you dig" system in Texas where every facility owner has the right to belong to any notification center and every excavator has the right to call any center.

Our company intends to be in full compliance with all local, state, and federal laws, including Texas Utilities Code Title 5, Chapter 251. The DIG TESS Center operates in accordance with the Common Ground Alliance's Best Practices for One-Call Centers.

Oversight of the one-call centers is by the One Call Board of Texas (OCBT), which is appointed by the Governor. The OCBT is made up of six representatives from facility owner/operators and excavators, and six members of the general public. The Executive Vice President of OCBT is Don Ward, who can be reached at (512) 467-2850. The OCBT Website is www.onecalltexas.com.

The Texas damage prevention Law (Utilities Code Title 5, Chapter 251) can be found at the Texas Legislature Online website.