Officials urging homeowners call 811 before they dig, following several damaged water lines

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — If you’re digging in the dirt to plant a tree or flower, installing a new mailbox or remodeling your back porch, you need to call 811 before beginning the project.

Officials are urging residents to take this step after a number of boil water advisories across the Cape Fear caused by damage to water lines.

Calling ahead of time could save a big inconvenience, and even money.

North Carolina 811 education liaison Howard Corey says dialing 811 is not just for large commercial contractors.

“A homeowner was doing just that, putting up their mailbox and hit a water main going down with some post hole diggers,” Corey said. “They didn’t have a locate request, they didn’t think they needed it, and they hit a water main. That’s going to wind up being costly for them, more than just the cost of the mailbox. We don’t want that to happen.”

Once you call 811, utility companies have three business days to come locate and mark the underground lines on your property.

“You don’t want to be that person that knocks your own internet out or your own power out and potentially getting hurt. And nobody wants to be that person that knocks out cable to the entire neighborhood or complex,” Corey added.

“There’s a lot of things in the ground. It’s better to call.”

H2GO asset protections superintendent Thurston Caison says if you dig and hit a water main, it means workers will have to respond, potentially closing a portion of the road and a boil water advisories will be sent out.

All this, he says, could be prevented with a simple phone call.

“It’s simple,” Caison said. “It might take a total of 10 to 15 minutes of your time and it’s free. It’s no charge to anyone calling and it saves a lot of utilities a lot of trouble and a lot of expense.”

So make sure you call before you dig, don’t dig before you call.