Step. Away. From. The. Shovel.

Have you called 811 yet?


Every year, Piedmont Natural Gas responds to thousands of natural gas emergencies that occur when digging projects damage underground pipelines. In 2022, Piedmont reported over 2,700 cuts to natural gas lines in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The majority of those could have been avoided with a simple call to 811 to have the location of underground utility lines marked – before the digging project started.


811 is a FREE service, and in just three business days, crews will come out and mark the underground utility lines on your property, which can help you prevent natural gas outages, costly repairs, injuries or worse.


No matter what your reason is for not calling, this service has you covered.


“But I don’t have time to wait three days for the lines to be marked.”

We know you’re excited to get your weekend projects moving along but waiting three days will be worth it. Your project could be put on hold for weeks (and may incur fines) while you wait for crews to repair the damage caused by your unmarked digging.

Calling 811 can ultimately save you time and money.


“But I’m just replacing a mailbox post right where the other one was.”

It’s always better to play it safe, even if you’re digging in the same area as a previous structure. This applies to basketball goals, mailbox posts, sprinkler systems, water lines, landscaping, gardening, wells, septic tanks, sewer lines, swimming pools, fences and deck posts.


Help keep your family and community safe by calling 811 before you put a shovel into the ground.


“I didn’t call 811 and now I’ve hit an underground line – on the weekend. Now what?”

The national “Call Before You Dig” 811 call centers generally operate between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. But for digging emergencies that occur on weekends or anytime you suspect a leak, call 911 and then Piedmont at 800.752.7504 to have the proper authorities safely investigate.


For more information, watch this safety video and visit our safe digging webpage.


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