Consumer Tip Monday, September 17, 2012

Do you know what’s directly underneath your feet at this very moment? Every three minutes, an underground utility line is damaged by careless digging. Don’t gamble with your safety. Knowing where the underground utility lines are will help protect you from injury and prevent damage to utility lines that cause service disruption, repair costs, AND potential fines. All it takes is one easy phone call to get underground utility lines marked…. Plus, it’s FREE! Why wouldn’t you call? Here’s how it works. Let’s say you decide to install a new mailbox. Two days before you want to dig, call 811, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Your call will be routed to your local One Call Center. Tell the operator where you are planning to dig, and what type of work you will be doing and your affected local utilities companies will be notified about your intent to dig. Then, a few days later, they will send a locator to mark the approximate location of your underground lines, pipes and cables. Day one starts the day AFTER you call. That means if you call 811 Tuesday morning, 811 member utilities will have your service lines marked by noon Friday – just in time for your weekend project! Don’t forget, you can also go online at www.sunshine811.com for more information. Be considerate of your self, your family and your neighbors. So remember, whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or hire a professional, smart digging means always calling 811 before each project. You will avoid injury, expense, embarrassment - and a very inconvenient day in the dark. So, spread the word, encourage your neighbors to call 811 prior to any digging projects. KNOW WHAT’S BELOW… call before you dig. For additional information on safe digging practices, visit www.sunshine811.com or ConsumerAssistance/ConsumerTips.