Peoples Natural Gas and Essential Utilities Remind Customers and Contractors: Practice Safe Digging by Calling 811 First
Keep our communities safe and prevent service disruptions during spring landscaping and home improvement projects using the Pennsylvania One Call system
In honor of National Safe Digging Month, Peoples Natural Gas and its parent company, Essential Utilities, remind homeowners, businesses and contractors to contact 811 before beginning any digging project, large or small.
Contacting 811 is required by law for all excavation projects, including major construction work and smaller home improvement projects like planting trees and shrubs, installing mailboxes, or setting up basketball hoops or swing sets. Contractors are required to call on behalf of their customers, though all residents must use the 811 service when doing projects involving digging to ensure safety and compliance with the law.
“National Safe Digging Month reminds us that calling 811 before starting any digging project – no matter how small – helps protect critical underground infrastructure,” said Peoples Damage Prevention Manager Charles Brazier, a member of the Pennsylvania One Call Board of Directors. “Gas and other underground utility lines are out of sight, but they cannot be out of mind when excavating. Our team is committed to ensuring that customers have the information they need to dig safely.”
The PA One Call system is a simple, quick process designed to prevent unnecessary hazards. Before beginning any project, follow these steps:
- Call 811 at least three (3) business days before digging.
- Wait for utility locators to identify and mark the location of underground lines.
- Respect the markings and use appropriate excavation techniques throughout your project.
- Notify the appropriate utility company immediately if damage occurs to pipelines, line markers, locator wires or warning tape.
Essential, Peoples, and sister utility Aqua Pennsylvania are longtime supporters of the PA One Call system, and and strongly encourage everyone this National Safe Digging Month: Call Before You Dig!