Make wishtv.com your home page

Hoosiers reminded to call 811 before digging

Hoosiers reminded to call 811 before digging

News 8 at 6:00 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is using the Indiana State Fair as an opportunity to spread a important safety message.

The organization has placed signage throughout the midway at the fair. The signage, including banners and even hand sanitizer stations, reminds residents to call 811 before doing any type of digging around their property.

Sunday was ‘National 811 Day.’ The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission commissioned an artist to create a special drawing of underground utilities at the fair.

Indiana’s 811 law requires anyone looking to dig to call 811 at least two working days before starting their project. The law applies to everyone and includes small projects like installing a mailbox or fence.

“The things under the ground carry explosive gases and powerful charges, data lines could be your local 911 system or a hospital network,” said Darby Miller with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. “We won’t want you to touch anything that’s under the ground and break it. We just want to make sure everyone knows where the stuff is and how to dig carefully around it.”

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission investigates more than 2,000 cases of damage to gas lines each year. That number includes more than 200 investigations in Marion County alone in 2018.