National 811 Day: A Call to Prevent Costly and Dangerous Digging Incidents

Underground utility lines, including gas and electric lines, can be surprisingly shallow, sometimes lying just a few inches beneath.Photo byGregorio NutionUnsplash

This Sunday marks National 811 Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the critical importance of calling 811 before starting any digging project, whether large or small. The day serves as a reminder to both property owners and contractors that a simple, free call to 811 can prevent potentially dangerous and costly accidents involving underground utility lines, according to Pacific Gas and Electric.

Underground utility lines, including gas and electric lines, can be surprisingly shallow, sometimes lying just a few inches beneath the surface, PG&E warned. Whether you're planning to build or replace a fence, plant a tree, or begin a larger construction project, it is essential to contact 811 before breaking ground, according to the utility. The service connects you with local utility companies, which can mark the location of any underground lines on your property, ensuring that your project can proceed safely, PG&E stated.

The importance of making this call is underscored by recent data from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). So far this year, underground gas and electric lines have been damaged 573 times in PG&E's service area due to digging activities. Alarmingly, 58% of those incidents occurred because the individuals involved did not call 811 beforehand. The statistics are even more striking among residential customers, where 89% of line strikes occurred without a call to 811, PG&E's statistics warned.