According to data, the most digging damage occurs in August.
Are you planning yard work this soon? Be sure to “Call Before You Dig” to avoid damage to underground utilities.
Across the nation, Aug. 11th serves as a reminder to call 811 before starting any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to Arkansas 811, which notifies Entergy Arkansas of their intent to dig. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both. Requests can also be made online or via the Arkansas One Call application that can be found in the iTunes App Store.
With more people at home during pandemic restrictions, and summer serving as a peak time to work on home improvement projects, it’s more important now than ever before that residents remember to dig safely to avoid unnecessary outages.
“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors to use the free 811 service before digging to reduce the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Melanie Taylor, Entergy Arkansas vice president of distribution operations. “Calling 811, using the cell phone app or visiting arkonecall.com is crucial to identifying which utilities are buried in your area so that you dig safely, especially at a time when we’re relying on important utilities to connect us and keep us safe at home. ”
Every few minutes, an underground utility line is damaged because someone began digging without first contacting 811. Striking a single line or pipe can cause injury, repair costs, inconvenient outages and fines. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants contacting 811 by phone or online. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are just some examples of digging projects that need a call to 811 before starting.
The depth of utility lines can vary for 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 or digging in a location that’s previously been Marked, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.
Visit www.entergyarkasas.com, www.call811.com or www.arkonecall.com for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.