April is National Safe Digging Month, and CenturyLink Inc. reminds Missouri residents to always call 811 before beginning any digging project.
When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to the local one-call center, which notifies CenturyLink and utility companies of their intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, paint or both.
According to the Common Ground Alliance's Damage Information Reporting Tool report, a utility line is damaged by digging once every three minutes nationwide, and one-third of these incidents are caused by failure of the professional excavator or homeowner to call 811 before beginning their digging project, the news release stated.
Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and outages.
Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck and planting a tree or garden are all examples of digging projects that should only begin after calling 811 to have underground lines appropriately marked.
"Call 811 before you dig. It's a simple and vital call that individuals and companies need to make to ensure that underground utility lines are marked," said Tim White, CenturyLink's Operations VP for Missouri. "In doing so, homeowners and professionals will help keep their communities safe and connected."
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, visit call811.com.