Remember to Call Before You Dig

August 11 isn’t a date that springs to most Tennesseans’ minds as important, but Tennessee 811 is working to change that.

The Nashville-based nonprofit is seeking to use the date as a way to remind residents to remember the underground utilities infrastructure before they embark on a digging project. Tennessee 811 hopes to reduce the number of incidents of accidentally cut lines from unauthorized digging. The results of these accidents range from utility outages to risk to life and limb. And there are always repair expenses, which sometimes come along with fines for the individual responsible.

All of these things can be avoided with a little planning. So, on August 11—National 8/11 Day—take a moment to print out and post the following points in your home or business:

• Call 811 before you dig, no matter how familiar you are with a property.
• Make your 811 request at least three working days ahead of time—ideally at the beginning of a work week if you plan to begin your project over a weekend. This will give your local utilities ample time to mark lines.
• Confirm with your utilities that they have marked all lines, and look into moving your project if it interferes with lines.
• Don’t forget, locating lines is still necessary if you’ve hired a contractor, so confirm that they’ve called 811 before digging begins, and see to it that lines are marked.

“When we talk about funding broadband expansion and other infrastructure improvements, we tend to focus on the initial construction investment, but protecting that investment is just as important,” says Tennessee 811 Public Awareness Manager Craig Ingram. “Calling 811 is a big step in preventing unnecessary damage to underground utilities, and 8/11 Day is a great opportunity to encourage both professional excavators and property owners to utilize the free Call Before You Dig service to keep themselves safe and avoid potentially costly incidents.”

You can also find resources online at tenn811.com.