Aug. 11 serves as reminder for Nevadans to call 811 before any digging project
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 08/05/2019 - 1:49pm
CARSON CITY — With Aug. 11 almost here, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada hopes this date on the calendar, 8/11, will serve as a natural reminder for residents to call 811 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked.
Every few minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811.
When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to USA North, Nevada’s 811 call center. USA North notifies the appropriate utility companies of the homeowner’s or contractor’s intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested dig site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, paint or both.
Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines, and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811.
“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to call 811 before digging to reduce the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Neil Pascual, PUCN Senior Gas Pipeline Engineer. “It really is the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area.”
The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.
For more information about safe digging procedures, please visit www.call811.com, www.usanorth811.org, or www.puc.nv.gov.
