Whether you are planning to do it yourself or hire a professional, smart digging means calling 811 at least two days before each job. Homeowners often make risky assumptions about whether or not they should get their utility lines marked, but every digging job requires a call – even small projects like planting trees and shrubs.
If you expose or damage gas or electric lines, stop work and call Avista Utilities immediately at (800) 227-9187.
About 811
Building a deck? Planting a tree? Installing a mailbox? Call 811 two days before you begin any digging project.
A federally-mandated national “Call Before You Dig” number, 811 was created to help protect you from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines while working on digging projects. People digging often make risky assumptions about whether or not they should get their utility lines marked due to concerns about project delays, costs and previous calls about other projects. These assumptions can be life-threatening.
Every digging job requires a call – even small projects like planting trees or shrubs or installing a mailbox post. If you hit an underground utility line while digging, you can harm yourself or those around you, disrupt service to an entire neighborhood and potentially be responsible for fines and repair costs.