Tackling a yard project? Call 811 before you dig

Posted on April 24, 2020

Duke Energy is reminding its customers and communities to call 811 before digging anywhere to protect the underground utility network, prevent potential personal injury and avoid electric and natural gas outages.

The company made a special plea to those under stay-at-home orders who may have more time for yard projects that involve digging.

The national “811 Call Before You Dig” system was created so anyone who plans to dig anywhere can call to have underground utility lines clearly marked. The goal of this common effort is to prevent potential injuries, disruptions in utility services and costly repairs for the offenders.

The free service is available for all property types (homes and businesses) and it notifies utility companies, which then send crews to identify and clearly mark underground electric, natural gas, water, sewer, phone, cable TV and other utility lines. Crews use above-ground stakes, flags or paint to mark restricted areas before a customer begins a digging project.

In 2019, Duke Energy reported more than 1,300 incidents of damage to its underground electrical network in Florida.

“With Florida under a safer-at-home order, many customers may be doing more extensive yard work. Hitting an underground utility line can cause power outages, costly repairs and even injuries. To avoid this risk, we encourage all of our customers to call 811 before any digging project,” said Catherine Stempien, Duke Energy Florida president.

For more information about the national system and about the 811 office, visit call811.com.