CHARLOTTE, N.C. — August 11 is officially "811 Day," and as residents continue summer yard projects, Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy want to remind everyone to call 811 before digging to prevent personal injury and avoid electric and natural gas outages.
The national "811 Call Before You Dig" system was created so anyone who plans to dig can make a free call to have underground utility line clearly marked.
Contractors, homeowners, business owners and anyone preparing for a digging project should call 811 at least three business days before digging begins. The local utilities will then send a crew to mark underground lines in the area with stakes, flags or paint.
"Keeping our customers safe and protecting our underground utility infrastructure are top priorities," Piedmont Natural Gas senior VP and president, Sasha Weintraub said.
From January to June 2022, Piedmont and Duke Energy reported damage to 4,967 natural gas and electric lines in their service territories in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.
"Our best defense is awareness and ongoing education to call 811 before you dig," Weintraub said. "We are committed to sharing this message with our customers and communities to avoid these accidents."
For a video that shows how to use 811, click here. For additional information about 811, visit Call 811 Before You Dig. To get in touch with the 811 center in your state, dial 811 or visit Call811.com.
