Celebrating 8/11~August 11th, which serves as a reminder for homeowners and professionals alike to ALWAYS call 811 before digging to avoid injury, damages, and service interruptions. Please be sure to share this info with neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends to keep our communities safe.
8/11 is a reminder to natural gas, propane and electric customers as well as all contractors to call 811 to have utility-owned underground lines marked prior to digging. A survey conducted earlier this year by the Common Ground Alliance, the national association that promotes the 811 phone number and safe digging practices, projected that 42 percent of homeowners who planned to dig this year for various projects, were likely to put themselves and their communities at risk by not calling 811 prior to digging.
Dialing 811 at least 3 days prior to digging in Florida you will get Sunshine811, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of the intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the locations of underground lines with flags, stakes and/or spray paint. Once lines are located, customers and excavators must understand the markings and look for evidence of unmarked lines, such as water and sewer lines on private property. Sewer clean-outs and water valve covers are examples of equipment that can indicate the presence of underground lines.
