Happy August 11! (and call before you dig)

Today is a special day.  August 11 – Also known as 8 11 (unless you use the format day/month) What is so special about 811?  8-1-1 is the telephone number that you use to find underground utilities before you dig.  Known as “Call Before You Dig” it is a nationwide network (in the U.S.) that is designed to assists in locating underground utilities.

An underground utility line is damaged once every six minutes in the United States because someone did not check into the location of underground utilities.  The odds are good that if you dig, you may hit something.  According to data compiled from various industry groups, there are more than 20 million miles of underground utilities in the United States,.  That is over 100 yards for every man, woman and child in the United States.

Digging into an underground energized electrical distribution line may be inconvenient for those that lose power as a result, but for the person doing the digging, it could be deadly.

Before you plan on digging:

• Call 811 a few days before you want to begin digging.
• Provide them with information on where you will be digging.
• Utilities with facilities near the dig location will be contacted.
• They will send someone to locate the approximate location of underground utilities.

www.call811.com