Stay Safe with Your Spring Projects: Call 811 Before You Dig

Spring is an excellent time for outdoor work and new projects, such as planting a garden, installing fences, building decks, and other activities requiring digging. However, before you start digging, remember that underground utility lines and pipes are everywhere. Digging without knowing what’s below can lead to serious injury, property damage, service outages, and hefty repair costs.

That’s why April is National Safe Digging Month, reminding contractors, excavators, and homeowners about the importance of calling 811 before initiating any digging project. 811 is a national phone number that you can call before you dig to help protect yourself, your community, and the vital infrastructure below the ground.

Miss Utility is the 811-call notification partner for Maryland, Washington D.C., and Delaware. When you call 811, you’ll be connected to Miss Utility, the local one-call center that informs BGE and other utilities of the intention to dig at a location. Professional locators will then visit your site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines with spray paint, flags, or both. Once a site has been accurately marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas. Always use caution while hand digging, and never use mechanized equipment near marked utilities.

It’s essential to call 811 to have underground utilities marked before starting any excavation project, no matter your location. Contacting 811 saves time and money and prevents damage and service outages caused by digging without knowing the location of underground lines and pipes.

For more information on digging safely, including how to get lines marked and what to do after they are marked, visit www.bge.com/811. Stay safe with your spring project and “know what’s below.”