CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – April is National Safe Digging Month, and Clarksville Gas & Water reminds citizens that safe digging must be a priority to prevent damage to critical utility services -- including internet and other communications lines -- and to keep our community safe.
A quick call to Tennessee’s official free public safety service, Tennessee 811, will begin the process to locate and mark buried utility lines before the onset of a digging or excavation project. Residents and contractors can simply call 811 or place an online request at www.tenn811.com.
“Safety and damage prevention is a priority at Gas & Water and I ask homeowners and contractors to also make it their priority,” said Mark Riggins, Gas & Water General Manager. “When planning a digging project, please make a call to Tennessee 811 and help prevent damage to gas, water and other critical service lines, service outages and possible serious injury.”
As part of National Safe Digging Month, Gas & Water encourages everyone to take the following steps when planning a digging project:
- Always call 811 a few days before digging, regardless of the depth or familiarity with the property.
- Confirm that all lines have been marked.
- If using a contractor, confirm that the contractor has called 811. Do not allow work to begin if the lines are not marked.
Everyone who calls 811 connects to a one-call notification center operator who will take the caller’s information and communicate it to local utility companies. Professional locators will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines with spray paint, flags or both. Once a site has been accurately marked, digging carefully around the marked areas may begin.
Visit www.call811.com, www.tenn811.com or visit our website at www.clarksvillegw.com. for complete information.
About Tennesee811
Tennessee 811 is a non-profit Tennessee corporation established in 1983, whose mission is to act as an advance notification service to operators of underground facilities anywhere within the state. Tennessee 811 is governed by a Board of Directors and an Operating Committee and is the only such service in Tennessee recognized as the "official" 811 service for Tennessee.