To protect underground utility lines, Atmos Energy observes 811 Day annually on Aug. 11 as a reminder for everyone to practice safe digging.

811 Day is an initiative led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to ensure the practice of safe digging is echoed in communities by calling 811, a nationwide toll-free number, before any excavation project.

When calling 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to a local call center that notifies area utility companies of the caller’s intent to dig. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.

Colorado law requires homeowners to call 811 three business days before digging. Striking even a single line can lead to injury, repair costs, inconvenient outages and fines.

For more information, visit www.colorado811.org or www.atmosenergy.com/safety/call-811-before-you-dig.