Spring has finally sprung across many of the markets served by Frontier Communications, bringing with it construction projects large and small. Spring is the perfect time of year to remind homeowners and construction companies to call 811 at least three working days before projects start.

Calling 811 connects homeowners and contractors to their state’s one-call center, which in turn notifies the appropriate utility of a party’s intent to dig. Professional locators go to the prospective digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both. This service is at no cost to the homeowner or contractor.

Striking a single line can cause significant injury and damage and result in 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, moving a road, planting a tree and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that require a call to 811 before beginning.

“As we enter spring, we remind homeowners and professional contractors alike to call 811 before digging to eliminate the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Dan Sullivan, Frontier Area General Manager of Indiana. “After a long winter, people are eager to be outside and start projects, but before doing so, we ask them to take a minute to call 811 and request a utility locate. Requests may be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and the locate work is done at no charge. Calling 811 is the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area.”

The depth of utility lines can vary due to erosion, previous digging projects, and uneven surfaces. Utility lines must be properly marked because digging only a few inches carries the risk of striking an underground utility line.