KENNEWICK, Wash. (KTVZ) – Cascade Natural Gas hopes this date on the calendar, 8/11, will serve as a natural reminder for residents to contact 811 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. Every few minutes an underground utility line is damaged nationwide because someone decided to dig without first contacting 811.
When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to the local one call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Requests can also be made online at www.call811.com. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both. This is a free service.
Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that need a call to 811 before starting. After all, calling before you dig is the law.
“On Aug. 11and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to contact 811 a few days before digging to eliminate the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Mike Schoepp, Director Operation Services at Cascade Natural Gas. “We rely on important utilities to connect us and keep us safe at home, so contacting 811 is the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area so you can dig safely.”
The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of 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.call811.com for more information about safe digging practices.
Cascade Natural Gas is a natural gas distribution company serving approximately 314,500 residential, commercial, industrial and transportation customers in 95 communities in Washington and Oregon. Cascade is a subsidiary of MDU Resources Group, Inc., a member of the S&P MidCap 400 index that provides essential products and services through its regulated energy delivery and construction services businesses. For more information about MDU Resources, visit www.mdu.com. For more information about Cascade, visit www.cngc.com.
