811 Before You Dig

As part of our commitment to helping to ensure your safety, we’re offering this important information about what you should do before you conduct digging, plowing, drilling, and construction or excavating of any kind on your property.

Whether you’re planning to do it yourself or hire a professional, smart digging means calling Your-Call Center at 811 before you dig! Call 811 a few days before you start digging, and your call will be routed to your local One-Call Center.

When to call 811

When you call 811, the natural gas lines on your property will be marked, preventing you from damaging then when you dig. Projects that warrant 811 notifications include the installation of:
• Septic tanks and sewer lines
• Swimming pools
• Wells
• Sprinkler systems and water lines
• Basketball goal posts or mailbox posts
• Fence and deck posts
• Trees and shrubs

Be sure to tell the operator where you’re planning to dig and what type of work you will be doing. Your local utility companies will be notified, and they’ll send a locator to mark the location of your underground lines, pipes and cables.

Helpful Hints

Once your lines have been marked, here are some helpful hints to follow:
• Always dig around the locate markers-not on them.
• Always “hand dig” within 30 inches on each side of the coated markers. Excavation equipment can cause major damage to underground utilities.
• Call 811 each time you begin a new project. Erosion or root structure growth may shift locations of the utility lines.
• Always call 811 if excavating, ditching, trenching, drilling, or blasting is to be done on or adjacent to your property.