Utilities industry reminds citizens to protect infrastructure by calling 811 before they dig

As spring gets underway, the utilities industry is advising Americans to contact 811 before starting any outdoor digging projects that could potentially damage underground gas, electric, communications, and water and sewer lines. 

Available by phone and online, 811 is a nationwide resource to help notify utility companies of the need to mark the location of buried utilities with stakes, paint or flags. That way, people can avoid unintentionally digging into underground utility lines that cause damage that reaches billions of dollars annually. 

According to a 1,000-person survey from the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), an association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines and those who live near them, more than half of American households plan to engage in do-it-yourself projects in the days ahead. And nearly 27 million homeowners plan to dig without contacting 811 this year.

“With more than $1 trillion in new infrastructure breaking ground across America, contacting 811 before digging has never been more important,” Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in the U.S. Department of Transportation, said. “Before starting excavation work, homeowners, contractors, and landscaping professionals should always remember to contact 811 – every dig, every time.”  

In the past year, nearly half of homeowners reported being hit by utility service interruptions for three hours or longer, the highest rate of which occurred in the South. A major contributing factor seemed to be that respondents don’t think that shallow digging requires contacting 811 or utilities, according to the CGA survey. 

“Spring weather brings more digging projects, for homeowners and professionals alike. To keep our communities connected to water, electricity, gas and communications lines, everyone needs to contact 811 a few days before beginning an excavation project – whether it’s gardening or major construction,” Sarah Magruder Lyle, CGA President and CEO, said. 

Failure to call can cause headaches for everyone. 

For example, in the service area of Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy, underground electric and natural gas lines were hit more than 10,300 times in 2023. Such actions threaten disruption to critical services, costly fines and repair work and injury or death for those responsible. Specifically, Piedmont and Duke Energy reported more than 3,500 damages to their underground natural gas facilities across the Carolinas, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky last year, while Duke Energy reported more than 6,800 damages to its electric network across all the states it operates in.

“Every April, many homeowners and construction crews begin projects that involve digging, and with that, we see an increase in emergency calls for cut utility lines,” Brian Weisker, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy’s natural gas business, said. “In addition to potential danger and expense of damaged utilities, many incidents lead to road closures and evacuations, and they can tie up police, fire and other emergency resources.”

Dominion Energy, meanwhile, experienced more than 1,000 third-party damages to its natural gas system in South Carolina in 2023. The company noted that routinely causing damage were small projects such as general landscaping and fence installations. Efforts at irrigation also pose frequent hazards to lines. 

”Safeguarding our underground utilities is one of our top priorities, and excavation damages pose the biggest threat,” Greg McGlohorn, general manager of gas operations for Dominion Energy South Carolina, said.