DALLAS – April 1, 2026 – With spring weather comes the opportunity to tackle outdoor projects around the yard, but digging before locating underground utility lines can lead to serious injuries, service outages and expensive repairs. National Safe Digging Month begins today and continues throughout the month of April as an opportunity for Atmos Energy to remind homeowners, contractors, and other businesses to plan ahead, prioritize safety and contact 811 prior to any digging or excavation work.

“Across the country, underground natural gas and other utility lines are damaged by digging or construction nearly 200,000 times each year, and excavation damage to our pipelines remains a primary safety risk,” said Jennifer Ries, Atmos Energy vice president of pipeline safety. “At least three business days before any digging project – whether you plan to install a fence, plant a garden, or build a deck – contact 811 to have the approximate location of underground utility lines marked with flags or paint on your property. It’s free, it’s safe, and it’s required by law.”

Throughout National Safe Digging Month and every day of the year, please follow these steps before starting any outdoor project:

• Dial 8-1-1 on your phone or visit 811beforeyoudig.com a few days before breaking ground, regardless of the digging depth or your familiarity with the area.
• Plan ahead. Make a free 811 request on Monday or Tuesday for work planned on the weekend, providing enough time for the approximate location of utility lines to be marked.
• If a contractor has been hired, confirm that the contractor has contacted 811. Do not allow work to begin if the lines aren't marked.
• Confirm that all lines have been marked.
• Consider moving the location of a project if it is near utility line markings.

Natural gas safety is a partnership, and everyone who contacts 811 a few days before digging is connected to a local 811 center that collects the information and communicates it to local utility companies. Professional locators will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines with spray paint, flags or both. Once a site has been accurately marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas.

Atmos Energy’s vision is to be the safest provider of natural gas services and has long been a champion for damage prevention. Everyone is invited to become a safety ambassador by taking the Atmos Energy Call 811 Pledge at atmosenergy.com/call811pledge. As a safety ambassador, you will help educate others about the value of safely locating underground utility lines. Together, we can protect our communities, prevent accidents, and enjoy safe and reliable natural gas service.