August 11 is almost here, and Georgia 811 hopes that the 8/11 date on the calendar will serve as a natural reminder for residents to contact Georgia 811 prior to any digging project. Contacting 811 before digging is the first step in any digging project, whether it be large or small. Georgia residents can contact 811 at www.Georgia811.com or via the three-digit 811 phone number to have underground public utility lines marked.

When contacting 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to Georgia 811, the local 811 center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both. Contacting 811 before digging can help avoid injury, repair costs, inconvenient outages, and costly fines.

“On August 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to use the free 811 service before digging to reduce the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Georgia 811 President and CEO Meghan Wade. “Calling 811 or visiting Georgia811.com is really the only way to know which public utilities are buried in your area so that you can dig safely.”

Georgia 811 is spreading the 811 message to professional excavators and utility owners/operators by announcing Georgia 811 Damage Prevention Summits which will be held on Thursday, September 14, at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Museum of Agriculture in Tifton, and on Thursday, October 5, the Gas South District Event Center in Duluth. Registration is free of charge, and the Summit will include trainings on a variety of safe digging topics. “We are thrilled to once again present an opportunity for networking and damage prevention education as we expand the Summits to include a second location in South Georgia. We hope many will participate as we work to keep Georgia safe and connected”, said Megan Estes, Director of Communicatins for Georgia 811.

To celebrate 811 Day, Georgia 811 is also running a Facebook contest throughout the month of August in which five winners will each be awarded a $100 Home Depot gift card. Those interested in participating can find the registration link by following ‘Georgia 811’ on Facebook and clicking the link on the top pinned post

Visit www.Georgia811.com for Summit registration information and to learn more about Georgia 811 and safe digging practices.