RICHMOND, Va., April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As April brings warm weather and outdoor chores, Dominion Virginia Power reminds Virginians to call Miss Utility at 811 before digging on their property to avoid injuries and service disruptions from damage to underground utility lines.

"Play it safe and let Miss Utility check for underground lines before you start digging on your property," said Rodney Blevins, vice president for distribution operations.  "Even if you don't think there are underground lines in the work area, call 811 first."

April is National Safe Digging Month. Remember to dig with "CARE:" Call Miss Utility at 811 before you dig.  Allow time for marking.  Respect and protect the marks.  Excavate carefully.

"One split second decision is all it takes to cause serious injury or even death," said Courtney Malveaux, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry. "I want all workers to go safely home to their families every night.  I ask all workers in Virginia to think before they dig and call Miss Utility."

Popular do-it-yourself projects that involve outdoor digging include planting gardens, shrubs and trees; building patios; installing fencing; and removing tree stumps and old structures.  In Virginia, calling 811 will reach Miss Utility of Virginia, the state's one-call notification center.  A representative will be sent to the caller's property at no charge to mark the underground utility lines by means of paint, stakes, flags or a combination of the three. Watch a video explaining how to use Miss Utility: http://youtu.be/-N-dMMxyYvg.

Miss Utility's hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding legal state and national holidays. Emergency notification service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Information is available at www.dom.com/about/safety/call-before-you-dig.jsp

Dominion (NYSE: D) is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,500 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest underground natural gas storage systems and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

Save time, energy and postage by enrolling in Dominion's eBill paperless billing program at: https://www.dom.com/find-it-fast/payment-options/paperless-billing.jsp

SOURCE Dominion Virginia Power