Think Before you Dig: Columbia Gas Urges 8-1-1 Call for National Safe Digging Day

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — Make sure you contact 8-1-1 before your next digging project.

Happy National Safe Digging Day. August 11 or 8-11, serves as a reminder that homeowners and contractors should contact 8-1-1 at least two business days before starting any digging project to avoid damaging utility lines.

“You can only imagine what can happen if you dig into a live utility line, imagine using a shovel to dig into a live gas line. That could cause a spark, which could cause an issue. It could ignite something,” Columbia Gas of Ohio Director of Communications Erica Chronaberry said.

Columbia Gas officials remind everyone it’s better to be safe than sorry. Dialing 8-1-1 before starting a project is free and can help avoid costly problems in the long run. Once those lines are properly marked with either paint or flags, digging projects can begin.

“A lot of the time people think, ‘Oh, I’m not digging that deep into the ground,’ or ‘Oh, I did digging last year, so I remember where my utility lines are,’ and really, you need to be safe. You might not know the exact location…lines can move from erosion, from other work that you’ve done, so it’s very important, no matter how deep into the ground you’re digging, that you call 811 prior to starting that project,” Chronaberry said. 

For more information, visit the Columbia Gas website.