BISMARCK, N.D. – August 10, 2022 – Montana-Dakota Utilities hopes this date on the calendar, 8/11, will serve as a natural reminder for residents to contact 811 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked. Every few minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first contacting 811.
When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to the local one call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Requests can also be made online at www.call811.com. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both. This is a free service.
Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that need a call to 811 before starting. After all, calling before you dig is the law.
“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to contact 811 before digging to eliminate the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Mike Schoepp, Director Operation Services at Montana-Dakota Utilities. “Relying on important utilities to connect us and keep us safe at home, contacting 811 is really the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area so that you dig safely.”
The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches, or digging in a location that’s previously been marked, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists. Visit www.call811.com for more information about safe digging practices.
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. distributes natural gas and generates, transmits and distributes electricity and provides related services in the northern Great Plains. The company serves approximately 144,225 electric customers and 283,500 natural gas customers in 271 communities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Montana-Dakota is a subsidiary of MDU Resources Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P MidCap 400 and the S&P High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats indices, and is Building a Strong America® by providing essential products and services through its regulated energy delivery and construction materials and services businesses. For more information about MDU Resources, see the company’s website at www.mdu.com. For more information about Montana-Dakota, visit www.montana-dakota.com.
Media Contact: Mark Hanson at 701-530-1093 or [email protected]