Phoenix, Ariz. -  April is National Safe Digging Month and the Arizona Corporation Commission is reminding residents, professional excavators and others about the importance of “knowing what’s below” and to call 811 before digging.  This initiative aims to prevent injuries and protect buried infrastructure we all rely on every day.

AZ811 is a damage prevention service offered FREE of charge to any individual or company planning to excavate, it is a one-call notification system established to assist excavators in locating all underground electric, gas, water, telephone, sewer, communications, or other lines prior to excavation.  Whether you are a homeowner or an experienced contractor, this is the safest way to prevent dangerous and costly surprises.  With just one call or online ticket to the AZ811, a professional will come out to your digging site and mark the precise location of its lines for FREE.  Owners of underground facilities must locate and mark all their facilities at that location as promptly as practical, but in no event lather than two working days. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $5,000.

The ACC’s Office of Pipeline Safety (AZOPS) inspects and oversees a total combined pipeline length of 45,037 miles and 1,456,602 services.  Last year, more than 900,000 AZ811 calls were received.  A total of 676 pipeline hits/damages were reported by operators during 2024.  Arizona is consistently near the top in the nation for having the lowest hits per 1,000 tickets reported.

For more information, go to http://www.arizona811.com/ or https://azcc.gov/safety/pipeline-safety/pipeline.