August 11 is 8-1-1 on the calendar so it’s a natural reminder for both professionals and homeowners to always contact 811 at least before digging to identify the approximate location of underground utility lines. With more residents completing digging projects during the summer season, it’s crucial that the safe digging message is front and center.
 
Hitting an underground utility line while digging can disrupt critical service to entire neighborhoods, cause dangerous gas leaks, result in fines and repair costs and even cause serious injury or death.
A good source of information about 811  to gather information for social posts or information for employees is Common Ground Iowa https://commongroundiowa.com/resources/.
 
Remind homeowners, Professionals and customers that:

• Every digging project requires contacting 811.
• Contacting 811 prior to digging notifies utility companies of the intent to dig and gives representatives time to mark the appropriate lines.
• Digging without contacting 811 first to have underground lines marked remains as the number one cause of damages to buried utilities, year after year.