August 11 Reminds Pennsylvania Residents To Dial 8-1-1 Before Digging

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa., Aug. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania 811 hopes this date on the calendar – Sunday, August 11 - will serve as a natural reminder for residents to dial 8-1-1 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked.

Utility services that your family depends on, such as cable TV, high-speed internet, landline telephone, electric, gas, water and sewer, are buried underground in many communities.  Striking one of these lines can result in inconvenient outages for entire neighborhoods, harm to yourself or someone else, and repair costs.

The best way to avoid damage to your utilities, injury or loss of service is to call 811 three business days before digging to learn the approximate location of buried lines in your area. 

When dialing 8-1-1, homeowners and contractors are connected to Pennsylvania 811, the local one call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig.  The utilities send professional locators to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of their underground lines with colored flags, spray paint or both.

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 need a call to 8-1-1 before starting.

"On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to dial 8-1-1 before digging to eliminate the risk of striking an underground utility line," said Bill Kiger, President & CEO for Pennsylvania 811.  "It really is the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area."

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 the risk of striking an underground utility line exists.

Visit www.pa811.org or www.paonecall.org for more information about 811 and safe digging practices. To notify utility companies of your intent to dig, dial 8-1-1 or submit your request online: www.paonecall.org/notify.

SOURCE Pennsylvania 811

Related Links

http://www.pa811.org