Dig Smart, Stay Safe: Delmarva Power Highlights Safe Digging Month in April

Customers should call 811 to ensure safe digging projects – from planting trees to installing mailboxes or patios

NEWARK, DE

Delmarva Power, in partnership with Delmarva 811, the one-call notification center for Delaware and Maryland, proudly recognizes National Safe Digging Month – designed to remind residents, contractors and businesses to dial 811 and follow safe digging procedures to prevent potential injuries and damage to critical infrastructure.

Delmarva Power has more than 6,660 miles of underground electric lines in Maryland and Delaware, more than 3,600 miles of natural gas pipelines in northern Delaware, and there are many other essential utilities including water and sewer pipes and cable lines buried in the ground. In 2024, Delmarva Power responded to 316 incidents due to unsafe digging practices.

Before starting any digging projects, residents and businesses should follow these tips and should visitCall811.com for more information.

• Call 811 before digging, regardless of the project, to allow for approximate locations of underground lines to be marked.
• Plan ahead – leave ample time. Call three business days at minimum for the utility lines to be marked.
• Confirm that all local utilities have lines marked accordingly.
• Consider moving the location of your project if it is too close to utility line markings.
• If a contractor has been hired, confirm that the contractor has called 811. Do not let work begin if lines have not been marked.

Once the lines are marked, use this guide to understand color codes of markings:

A recent survey by The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), a national association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them and their communities, highlights the importance of calling 811. According to the national survey, 27.2 million Americans planning digging projects in the next year will not contact 811, putting themselves and their communities at risk of utility service disruptions, costly fines and repairs, and even serious injury or death.

Delmarva Power joins the Exelon family of companies, 1,700 Common Ground Alliance members, the U.S. Department of Transportation and governors across the country in marking April as National Safe Digging Month to bring attention to the issue of underground utility line safety and reduce the risk of unnecessary infrastructure damage.

For more information about safe digging practices, visit delmarva.com/Safety or call 800-375-7117.

To learn more about Delmarva Power, visit The Source, Delmarva Power’s online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting delmarva.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/DelmarvaPower and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at x.com/DelmarvaConnect. Delmarva Power’s mobile app is available at delmarva.com/MobileApp.

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