GASTONIA, N.C. (Aug. 11, 2020) – As more people continue to work from home, and summer weather encourages do-it-yourselfers to work on outdoor improvement projects, it’s more critical than ever to remember to call 811 and to dig safely. 

In observance of National 811 Day on Aug. 11, Dominion Energy North Carolina underscores the importance of calling 811 to have underground utility lines marked before beginning projects that involve digging. This will help to ensure communities remain safe and connected.

“We're living in a time where families are relying on utility services to learn, work and play safely at home more than we ever have,” said Shaun Randall, vice president of operations for Dominion Energy North Carolina’s natural gas business. “When someone strikes a natural gas line, many people could be inconvenienced by losing their service. Even more important, it creates a public safety issue.” 

In the interest of public safety, utilities provide the call to 811 and locate service for free. As outlined in N.C. State law, anyone who plans to dig should call 811 three full business days before the start of their project to request that the approximate location of buried utilities be marked. Homeowners and contractors can also conveniently submit a locate request online or through the NC811 app.  

NC811 will gather information about the project and communicate it to local utility companies. Professional locators, like Robert Smith, will then visit the dig site to mark natural gas lines with spray paint, flags or both. Once utilities are marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas.  

Resources for excavators 

• Luis Negrin, a Dominion Energy employee, shares how professional excavators can dig safely once utility lines are marked in a short video.
• NC811 offers a free damage prevention certification program online to increase knowledge of safe digging, damage prevention for underground utilities and emergency response. 

Resources for homeowners 

• Those working on home improvement projects can learn about the call before you dig process here. 
• Dominion Energy employee Trevor Green shows homeowners how to dig safely in their yard once their gas lines are marked. 

Activities for children 

• Parents can print a Safety Treasure Toolkit to review the safe digging concepts shared a pirate-themed video about 811.   
• Children can have fun learning about digging safety with NC811’s mascot, Safety Sam, in an engaging coloring book.
• Dominion Energy’s fall elementary school program about energy conservation and natural gas safety is going virtual. Schools in the company’s North Carolina natural gas service area can get more information about the free digital program at schedule@nationaltheatre.com. 

Visit dominionenergy.com/safety/call-before-you-dig for more information about the call-before-you-dig process and other natural gas safety tips.  

About Dominion Energy
More than 7 million customers in 20 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy with more than $100 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution and import/export services. The company is committed to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.