Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announces that April is National Safe Digging Month and reminds everyone to call 811 before commencing any size digging project. Every day in Central and Northern California, underground utility lines are damaged due to homeowners and contractors failing to call 811 before starting digging projects.
Not only is digging without knowing the location of underground lines dangerous but it can also result in expensive repairs and inconvenient outages, said PG&E. The utility is joining with others across the country during National Safe Digging Month to help raise awareness of the importance of calling 811 before digging. Underground utility lines can be shallow — sometimes only a few inches below the surface — due to erosion, previous digging projects or landscaping, shifting or settling of the ground, and uneven surfaces.
PG&E says customers should call 811 a minimum of two business days before starting any digging project, large or small, as damaging an underground utility line while digging is dangerous and can leave customers responsible for repair costs averaging $3,500. Customers can also visit 811express.com to have underground utility lines marked for their project site. The 811 call center serving Central and Northern California, USA North, is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will provide Spanish and other translation services…