Atmos Energy Reminds Homeowners, Contractors to Contact 811 Before All Digging Projects

By Office of Communication

Posted on April 15, 2024, April 15, 2024

April is recognized by Congress and most Governors across the U.S. as National Safe Digging Month (NSDM).

Because it's the time of year when temperatures increase in many parts of the country and spring digging projects begin, April is an important time to remember how important it is to contact 811 at least a few days before putting a shovel in the ground.

Digging without knowing the approximate location of underground utilities can result in disruptions to critical services, serious injuries, and costly repairs to underground utility lines. It is simple and easy to make a free request online or over the phone before digging to help communities maintain essential utility services, promote safety, and reduce the likelihood of accidentally digging into buried utility lines.

The most popular planned projects among surveyed homeowners who plan to dig include:

• Planting a tree or shrub
• Building a fence
• Building a deck or patio
• Installing a mailbox
• Installing a pool

Atmos Energy encourages homeowners to take a few precautionary measures when planning a digging project:

• Always contact 811 a few days before digging, regardless of depth or familiarity with the property.
• Plan ahead. Make a free 811 request on Monday or Tuesday for work planned for an upcoming weekend, providing ample time for the approximate location of lines to be marked.
• Confirm that all lines have been marked.
• Consider moving the location of your project if it is near utility line markings.
• If a contractor has been hired, confirm that the contractor has contacted 811. Don't allow work to begin if the lines are not marked.

Visit 811beforeyoudig.com for complete information.

Everyone who contacts 811 a few days before digging is connected to a local one call notification center that will take the caller's information and communicate it to local utility companies. Professional locators will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines with spray paint, flags or both. Once a site has been accurately marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas.