What should we remember on August 11?
August 11, which we shortcut as 8/11, is a perfect time to remember…
Every few minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811. When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to the Florida Sunshine One-Call Center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of the caller’s intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging location to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint, or both.
Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines, and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, should begin with a call to 811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree, laying a patio–all of these are examples of digging projects that need a call to 811 before starting.
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 even when digging only a few inches or digging in a location that’s previously been marked, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.
Visit Call 811 for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.