South Dakota Ag Connection - 811 Day: A Reminder to Always Call Before Digging

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811 Day: A Reminder to Always Call Before Digging
South Dakota Ag Connection - 08/05/2020

Aug. 11 is almost here, and the South Dakota One Call Notification Board, along with South Dakota Common Ground Alliance, hopes that the 8/11 date on the calendar will serve as a natural reminder for residents to call 811 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. This year, especially with more people at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's more timely than ever that residents remember to dig safely.

When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to the South Dakota 811 Center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Requests can also be made online at www.sd811.com. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.

Every few minutes, an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first contacting 811. Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, inconvenient outages and fines. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants contacting 811 prior to digging. 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.

"On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to use the free 811 service before digging to reduce the risk of striking an underground utility line," said Fay Jandreau, Chairman of the South Dakota One Call Board. "Especially at a time when we're relying on important utilities to connect us and keep us safe at home, calling 811 or visiting www.sd811.com is really the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area so that you can dig safely."

A few reminders:

- A Mark means there is a utility that needs to be found by hand digging first. No equipment within 18'' of marks.

- Allow 2 days for locators to mark those lines for you.

- Visit www.sd811.com for more information or to submit a locate request online.

Stay Safe South Dakota! Have a great 811 Day.

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