August 11 Serves as Reminder to Call Before You Dig

THE WOODLANDS, TX - Planning any yard work this summer? Make sure to Call Before you Dig.

August 11 serves as a reminder for customers to call 811 before starting any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. With more people at home during pandemic restrictions, and summer serving as a peak time to work on home improvement projects, it’s more important now than ever before that residents remember to dig safely.

When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to Texas811, which notifies Entergy of their intent to dig. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.

Every few minutes, an underground utility line is damaged because someone began digging without first contacting 811. Striking a single line or pipe can cause injury, repair costs, inconvenient outages and fines. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants contacting 811 by phone or online. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are just some examples of digging projects that need a call to 811 before starting.

“It’s important that both homeowners and professional contractors use the free 811 service before digging to reduce the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Allen East, vice president of distribution operations. “Especially at a time when we’re relying on utilities to connect us and keep us safe at home, calling 811 or visiting www.texas811.org is crucial to identifying which utilities are buried in your area so that you dig safely.”

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 www.call811.com or www.texas811.org for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.