CAYCE, S.C., August 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 South Carolina underscores the importance of calling 811 to have natural gas and electric underground utility lines marked before beginning projects that involve digging. This will help to ensure communities remain safe and connected.

“Families depend on essential services such as natural gas and electricity to fuel their lives as they work, learn and play at home now more than ever,” said Felicia Howard, vice president of gas operations for Dominion Energy South Carolina. “Many people could be inconvenienced by losing service if someone strikes a natural gas or underground electric line. Even more important, it creates a safety issue for the person doing the digging and those around them. Reminding people to call 811 works. As we’ve worked to raise awareness of the importance of calling before you dig, we’ve seen a marked decrease in excavation-related damages to our system.”

In the interest of public safety, utilities provide the call to 811 and locate service for free. As outlined in 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 SC811 app.  

SC811 will gather information about the project and communicate it to local utility companies. Professional locators will then visit the dig site to mark underground electric and 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.
• SC811 offers a free web-based program 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.

Activity for children

• Parents can print a Safety Treasure Toolkit to review the safe digging concepts shared a pirate-themed video about 811.  

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.