LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This August 11 (8/11), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) reminds customers to always call 811 before digging.

This number is not just for professional contractors. PG&E urges customers who, for example, have trees to plant, sprinkler systems to install or fences to fix to be mindful of underground natural gas and electric lines and call 811 in advance.

The 811 hotline is a free service to obtain important information on what utilities exist beneath the excavation area.

It is available to homeowners, excavators and professional contractors who plan to dig, grade, excavate or drill. In many cases, it is required by law to call 811 before digging.

Safety is PG&E’s highest priority. Since the depth of natural gas and electric lines buried underground can vary, PG&E wants customers to know that even simple digging projects can cause damage. Contacting these lines can be extremely dangerous and even fatal.

Once every three minutes nationwide, a utility line is damaged by digging. Many of these incidents could have been prevented with a call to 811.