Warmer spring weather provides the perfect timing for outdoor projects. As a part of National Safe Digging Month, Atlanta Gas Light is reminding everyone to contact 811 before they begin any digging project. This includes jobs such as mailbox/fence installation, planting trees or putting in a pool. It also applies to professional excavators when performing work such as paving, tunneling, or blasting. 

Contacting 811 is free. There is no cost to have your underground utility lines marked. It’s also a law designed to help to protect both our communities and to ensure the underground utilities stay safe and connected. Atlanta Gas Light offers the following safe digging guidelines: 

• Contact 811 Before You Dig: Before starting an outdoor digging project, contact 811 or visit georgia811.com to request having underground utility lines marked at least three days prior to digging.

• Allow the Required Time for Marking: After contacting 811, allow time for the underground utility lines to be marked before digging. The approximate location of the lines will be marked with color-coded spray paint, flags or stakes that correspond to the utility. The natural gas markings will be yellow.

• Respect the Marks: Only use hand digging tools in areas near the utility line markings.

• Excavate Carefully: Make sure the marks remain visible during the project. If the markings are no longer visible, contact 811 to have lines remarked. If a natural gas line is damaged accidentally or the distinctive rotten-egg odor associated with natural gas is present, call 911 or the Atlanta Gas Light 24-hour emergency phone line at 1-877-427-4321 from a safe location.

Atlanta Gas Light maintains more than 34,000 miles of natural gas infrastructure across Georgia. In addition to those lines, there are underground communications, water and sewer lines, and other utility lines. Knowing where underground infrastructure is before you dig helps prevent injuries, property damage and inconvenient service outages.

Atlanta Gas Light’s Safe Digging Arcade is another way for families to learn more about the importance of safe digging.  Complete all eight activities to become a Safe Digging champion! The arcade uses science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) to educate children about how their families can stay safe and avoid damaging a utility line when digging around their homes.

For more information about natural gas safety, visit AtlantaGasLight.com/safety.