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Know What’s Below: Steps for Safe Digging

by | May 1, 2022 | Outdoors

From Rappahannock Electric Cooperative:

Spring is finally here, and there has never been a better time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Perhaps you’re making plans for a new garden or a lawn makeover. However you’re planning to revamp your backyard oasis, remember to keep safety in mind for all projects––especially those that require digging near underground utility lines.

Most of us never think about the electric, gas, water and other utility lines buried below the ground, but hitting one of these lines while digging is not the reminder you’ll want––trust us!

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) reminds all member-owners who are planning a digging project to submit a request online by visiting VA811.com at least three business days before you start. Here’s how the process works:

  • After you submit your request online, all affected utilities will be notified of your intent to dig. It may take a few days to get to your request, so please be patient.
  • A contractor will come out to mark the buried lines with paint or flags.
  • Before you break ground, confirm that all your underground lines have been marked.

By taking this important step before you break ground on your project, you can help protect not only yourself but our community. Disrupting an underground utility line can interrupt service, cause serious injuries and cost money to repair. So remember to visit VA811.com first and know what’s below.

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