Granite Staters Urged To Call 811 Before Beginning Digging Projects

MANCHESTER, NH — Residents planning late-summer yard work or bigger home projects are being reminded to call 811 before any digging begins.

Ahead of National Safe Digging Day on Aug. 11, Eversource said customers should contact Dig Safe before projects ranging from planting a shrub or tree to installing a deck or pool.

Subscribe

The utility said excavation work damages underground utility lines every 6 minutes in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, people who call 811 before digging have a 99 percent chance of avoiding an outage or catastrophe. Eversource said a call made in advance can help prevent electric or natural gas service interruptions, as well as injury or death.

"With more than 20 million miles of utility lines — electric, natural gas, phone, cable, internet and water — running underground through communities across the country, it's crucial that people know what's under the ground before they lift a shovel or start up the excavator," Eversource vice president of safety, training, and fleet operations Cliff Williams said. "Notifying Dig Safe is the best way to avoid a potentially dangerous incident or service issue, and it's also required by law. The free and easy process will help plan your project safely and protect your finances, so it's always worth taking the extra step to 'call before you dig'."

Dig Safe oversees safe digging practices in New Hampshire and operates a one-call system to locate and mark underground facilities near proposed excavation areas, according to the statement. Eversource said homeowners and contractors should call 811 at least three full working days before starting a job. That notice connects them with Dig Safe, which then notifies local utilities about the planned digging activity.

The utility said professionals then visit the property to mark utility-owned underground lines with flags or spray paint so crews and homeowners know what areas to avoid. Eversource also said the requirement applies regardless of how deep someone plans to dig or how familiar they are with the property, and whether they are using power equipment or hand tools.

The statement said hitting an underground utility line can lead to injury, repair costs, fines and service outages.

More information about Dig Safe is available at www.digsafe.com.