Florida ranks highest for damaged utility lines - knowing what’s below is critical to keeping our communities safe
A complex network of wires, cables and pipelines is located underground, often closer to the surface than you might think. Striking one of these underground utility lines while digging could result in interruptions of natural gas, electric, water or communications and cable services, injuries to yourself or others, and fines of up to $2,500 as well as repair costs.
One free, simple phone call to 811 makes it easy for Sunshine 811 to notify utility companies of your intent to dig. Peoples Gas has a team of locators who visit job sites and mark our natural gas lines around homes and businesses – but only if there’s a call to 811 to let us know. Last year, Peoples Gas locators responded to more than 540,000 requests from across Florida to locate and mark underground lines. However, 43 percent of the 1,700 instances of damage to our natural gas system in 2024 were situations where no call was made to 811 to mark the area.
A recent national survey showed that 68 percent of U.S. homeowners plan to tackle an outdoor do-it-yourself project that involves digging in the next year – but nearly half of them will not contact 811 before they begin their projects. When homeowners forget to call 811 before digging, they run the risk of damaging their own service lines. When contractors and excavators don’t follow safe digging practices, the impact is much greater – hundreds of residents and businesses can lose utility service from just one hit line.
Tips for contractors, excavators and homeowners
- Call 811 or visit Sunshine811.com at least two full business days before digging to make your request, giving utility companies enough time to properly mark lines. Be prepared to provide the location and description of your digging project.
- The contractor doing the work is responsible for contacting 811 to request property be located and marked. Sunshine 811 recommends that all excavators request their own tickets.
- Sunshine 811 notifies affected utility companies, which then send a professional locator to mark the approximate location of underground equipment for free.
- Check the status of your request at Sunshine811.com and, once all utilities have responded by marking the site or giving the all-clear, roll up those sleeves and dig carefully within 24 inches of either side of any marks in your project area.
- Even if you are not digging, remember to leave all markers – paint or flags – in place. They are a sign of work that may be coming soon to your area by a utility or contractor.
Visit Sunshine811.com and PeoplesGas.com for more information about safe digging.
Peoples Gas System Inc., Florida’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serves more than 500,000 homes and businesses across the state. The company’s mission is to make life better for communities by delivering safe, resilient, efficient and affordable natural gas energy solutions. Through investments in people, technology, infrastructure and environmentally focused innovations, the company is committed to fueling Florida’s clean energy future responsibly and sustainably. Peoples Gas is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. To learn more about the benefits of natural gas for Florida, visit FloridasEnergy.com. Find more information about the company, its culture, career opportunities and community investments at PeoplesGas.com.
