August 11 is "811 Day" – Reminder to call before you dig

08/11/2023

811 protects you and the community. Stay safe by knowing where utility lines are buried

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Entergy Arkansas is reminding customers to call 811 before doing any digging in the ground. August 11 (8/11) is designated as “Call before you dig day,” and the company is reminding homeowners and professional contractors to use the free 811 service before digging to reduce the risk of striking an underground utility or gas line.

“The safety of our customers is always our top priority,” said Michael Considine, Entergy Arkansas’ vice president of reliability. “August 11 is the perfect time to remind everyone to take the extra step and call 811 before any digging project, large or small. Making that call is important to avoid service interruptions and, most of all, personal injury or worse.”

The depth of underground utility lines varies and there may be multiple utility lines in one common area. The risk of striking underground utility lines exists even when digging only a few inches.

Entergy Arkansas hopes August 11 will serve as an important reminder to all people who excavate or dig to call 811 at least two full business days before digging to have the approximate location of their utility lines marked. This process helps prevent injuries, property damage and inconvenient utility outages.

After you make the call to 811, professional locators mark the approximate locations of underground lines at the requested digging site with flags, paint or both. Markings show the location of underground lines and help prevent undesired consequences such as injury, service disruptions or costly fines and repair costs.

“Regardless of what you plan to do, how deep you plan to dig or even if you’ve called before for a similar project, every job requires a call first,” said Considine. “Not only is it the safe thing to do, but it’s also the law.”

Calling 811 before you dig helps prevent serious consequences that could occur from digging without knowing what’s below the surface – not only now, but year-round.

If you suspect utility damage of any kind, leave the area immediately and call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) or call 911. A gas leak could be occurring if you smell the distinctive natural gas odor, hear a hissing or whistling sound near a gas appliance or see dead vegetation or bubbles near a gas line.

For more information, visit our website: https://www.entergy.com/safety/dig/

About Entergy Arkansas

Entergy Arkansas, LLC provides electricity to approximately 730,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy, visit the Newsroom.