Gas company: Call before you dig

National 811 Day is Aug. 11

In conjunction with National 811 Day on Aug. 11, Columbia Gas of Ohio hopes that 8/11 on the calendar serves as a natural reminder for Lorain County and area residents to call 811 or visit oups.org at least two business days before any digging project to have underground utility lines marked, according to a news release.

With the summer heat in full swing and more people spending time at home, homeowners turn to do-it-yourself work in and around their yards.

National 811 Day is the perfect opportunity to remind folks of the importance of calling 811 at least two business days before digging, according to the release.

In 2021, 23% of damages occurred due to failure to call 811 before a digging project, the release said.

If you contact 811 before you dig, there’s less than a 1% chance of damaging a utility line, the release said.

When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to Ohio 811, the local one-call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig, the release related.

Requests also can be conveniently made online at oups.org.

Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.

Requests should be made at least two business days before digging. This service is provided free of charge.

Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, inconvenient outages and fines.

Every digging project, no matter how big 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 or a visit to oups.org before starting.