ZANESVILLE, OH – April is National safe digging month, and Columbia Gas of Ohio wants to remind you to call 811 before you pick up that shovel.

As the weather warms up, many homeowners are eager to start spring projects like planting trees or installing fences, but before you dig, it’s important to know what’s below.

“If you start your digging project and you’re not sure where those underground utility lines are, it is a safety concern. You never want to hit an underground live gas line or live electric line. It’s very important for safety. Although, you can also be on the hook for costly repairs if you do any damage to those underground utility lines.” Communications Manager for Columbia Gas of Ohio, Erica Chronaberry said.

Calling 811 is completely free and should be done at least two business days before you plan to dig. Professional Locators will come out and mark where it’s safe, and not safe, to start your project.

“What you do is you simply call 811, a professional locator will come out to your property within two business days, and they will locate all underground utility lines and mark them with either paint or flags, so you know where they are.” Chronaberry said.

To learn more about safe digging, visit the website below.