Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Consumers Energy is reminding everyone to call before you dig.

8-1-1 is a free service that marks underground pipes and wires before any projects that involve digging.

“The arrival of warmer weather in the spring and summer is a great reason to get outdoors, but it’s critical to know what’s underground before starting your gardening or home improvement projects,” Holly Bowers, Consumers Energy’s Vice President of Gas Engineering and Supply. “Calling 8-1-1 not only is the law, but it can prevent you from causing damage that’s costly and time-consuming. Just because you can’t always see natural gas pipelines or power lines doesn’t mean they aren’t buried near you.”

It is illegal to not contact MISS DIG 811 to have underground facilities marked. Utility companies will mark lines with stakes, flags or paint. People can also schedule through missdig811.org.

You should call 8-1-1 at least three days before starting a project to give utility companies time to mark the lines. Officials said examples of projects to call for are digging fence posts, installing a deck, planting a tree or shrubs and replacing a mailbox post.

“Across the country, a utility line is damaged every six minutes because of digging, often because someone didn’t locate the line first,” Bowers said. “We’re all eager to get to work on home projects, but we shouldn’t rush at the expense of our safety.”

(photo credit: Consumers Energy)