news release > breaking ground, building safety: entergy texas recognizes national safe digging month

breaking ground, building safety: entergy texas recognizes national safe digging month

04/09/2024

stay safe by knowing where utility lines are buried – call 811 before you dig

the woodlands, texas – spring is here, and with warmer temperatures on the way, this is the prime season to start home improvement and landscaping projects. april is national safe digging month, and entergy texas is reminding you to call 811 before digging into your list of spring projects. 

national safe digging month serves as a reminder to all people who excavate or dig to call 811 at least two full business days before digging to have the approximate location of their utility lines marked. this process helps prevent injuries, property damage and inconvenient utility outages. 

the focus of national safe digging month is on preventing serious consequences that could occur from digging without knowing what’s below the surface – not only now, but year-round. regardless of what you plan to do, how deep you plan to dig or even if you’ve called before for a similar project, every job requires a call first.

“whether you’re planting a new garden, building a fence, or laying foundation for a new home, calling 811 should be your first step,” said frank shannon, entergy texas vice president of reliability. “safety is always a top priority for our teams and our customers, which is why our texas employees, who are also members of our communities, want to ensure all who must dig follow the law, know of the invisible hazards lying below ground, and live safe.”

the depth of underground utility lines varies and there may be multiple utility lines in one common area. the risk of striking underground utility lines exists even when digging only a few inches. 

texas has its own 811 call center that can help you stay safe while digging. call center representatives can advise you on how to submit requests to learn what utilities may be buried beneath the ground, such as natural gas pipelines, electric power lines and other services.

after you make the call to 811, professional locators mark the approximate locations of underground lines at the requested digging site with flags, paint or both. markings show the location of underground lines and help prevent undesired consequences such as injury, service disruptions or costly fines and repair costs.

if you suspect utility damage of any kind, leave the area immediately and call 1-800-entergy (1-800-368-3749) or call 911. a gas leak could be occurring if you smell the distinctive natural gas odor, hear a hissing or whistling sound near a gas appliance or see dead vegetation or bubbles near a gas line.

for more information, visit texas811.org.