Powell Clinch Utility District urges 811 calls
With spring digging season underway, the Powell Clinch Utility District is urging homeowners to call 811 before starting any outdoor projects that involve digging.
The reminder comes as April is observed as National Safe Digging Month and as a new survey highlights the scale of planned projects nationwide. According to the survey, nearly three in four American homeowners plan to undertake a digging project this spring — more than 60 million households.
However, more than 10 million of those homeowners say they do not plan to contact 811 before digging, increasing the risk of striking underground utility lines.
Hitting buried lines — including gas, electric, water, sewer or communications — can lead to injuries, service outages and costly repairs. Utility lines are often located just inches below the surface, making even shallow digging potentially hazardous.
“With tens of millions of digging projects planned this year, the scale of activity alone makes safe digging practices more important than ever,” PCUD President Rob Neil said. “Contacting 811 is free, takes only a few minutes, and can prevent a disaster. There is no project too small to warrant that call.”
Survey results indicate that many homeowners skip contacting 811 because they believe their project is too shallow to pose a risk. Officials say that misconception can lead to dangerous situations.
Projects such as planting trees, installing mailboxes or building fences can all come into contact with underground utilities.
PCUD recommends several steps for safe digging:
• Contact 811 a few days before digging, regardless of project size or depth.
• Plan ahead by submitting requests early, especially for weekend work.
• Confirm that all utility lines are properly marked before beginning.
• Adjust project plans if they are too close to marked lines.
• Ensure contractors have requested utility markings before work begins.
When a request is made, 811 connects homeowners with a local call center, which notifies utility companies. Crews then mark the approximate location of underground lines using paint or flags, allowing work to proceed safely.
“Making a quick 811 request before digging is a simple step that can prevent dangerous and costly mistakes,” Neil said.
“By spreading awareness and encouraging responsible digging practices, we can keep communities safe and prevent unnecessary utility disruptions.”
More information is available at tenn811.com and 811beforeyoudig.com.
