Aug. 11 a reminder to always call 811 before digging

PITTSBURGH — Aug. 11, 8/11, serves as a natural reminder for residents to call 811 prior to beginning any digging project, in order to have underground utility lines marked.

Every six minutes, an underground utility line is damaged because someone made the mistake of digging without first calling 811.

When making a free call to 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to Pennsylvania One Call, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.

Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that require a call to 811 before starting.

“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, Peoples reminds both homeowners and professional contractors to call 811 before digging to eliminate the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Deborah Vergenes, manager, Damage Prevention, for Peoples and a member of the PA One Call board of directors. “It really is the only way to know which utility lines are buried in your area. A call to 811 is free, and it’s the law.”

The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.

Visit paonecall.org or peoples-gas.com/811 for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.