Spring is finally here! With the snow melted and the ground ready for planting, eager homeowners like you are gearing up to start those outdoor digging projects. Before you reach for that shovel to start digging, remember to call 811, the national call-before-you-dig number, to ensure that your buried utility lines are marked.

Our land is made up of a complex underground infrastructure of fiber optic cables, pipelines, and wires. Striking an underground utility line while digging can cause harm to you or those around you, disrupt service to an entire neighborhood, and potentially result in fines and repair costs.

A call must be placed to 811 before every digging project, from simple landscaping projects like planting trees, shrubs, or flowerbed to building a deck or installing a rural mailbox. Every six minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811. Don’t become part of the statistic – make sure to call 811!

Alpine Communications encourages area residents to visit www.call811.com for more information about digging safely.