Gastonia, N.C. (Aug. 10, 2018) – Saturday, Aug. 11 (8/11), marks National 811 Day, a day that serves to remind the public to call 811 before digging to avoid damage to underground utility lines.

“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors to put safety first by calling 811 before digging to avoid striking an underground utility line,” said Scott Swindler, PSNC Energy General Manager of operations and maintenance. “The call to 811 is fast, free and required by law.”

Swindler said careless digging mistakes are the greatest threat utilities face to the safety of PSNC Energy’s underground infrastructure. Every nine minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without calling 811 first.

Utility services that the public depends on, such as electric, natural gas, water and sewer, cable TV, high-speed internet and landline telephone, are buried underground in many communities. Unintentionally striking one of these lines may result in inconvenient service disruptions for entire neighborhoods, and could lead to injuries or costly repairs.

North Carolina State Law requires the public to call 811 at least three full business days before digging so that utilities have time to mark their underground facilities before excavation begins. Examples of projects that require a call to 811 include:

• Planting a tree, bush or flower bed
• Installing a mailbox, fence or underground sprinkler system
• Building a deck, storage unit or playground
• Laying a patio, moving a road or adding rooms to a home or building
• Installation of other utilities

After gathering information about the digging site, North Carolina 811 transmits the information to utilities in the area. Utility locators then mark underground lines for free with paint, flags or both. Once the digging site is marked, it’s safe to begin digging.

To learn more about safe digging, visit psncenergy.com/safety and nc811.org.

About PSNC Energy

PSNC Energy headquartered in Gastonia, N.C., is franchised to serve a 28-county service area in North Carolina. The utility distributes natural gas to more than 565,000 customers in 96 cities and communities, including the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas in the north central part of the state; the Concord, Statesville, Gastonia, and Forest City areas in the Piedmont; and the Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, and Sylva areas in the western part of the state. More information about PSNC Energy is available through the company’s web site at psncenergy.com, Twitter, Facebook.