State officials are urging Bay Staters to not be one of the estimated 27.2 million Americans who will put themselves and their neighborhoods at risk over the next year by not calling Dig Safe at 811 before starting an outdoor digging project.
Gov. Maura Healey proclaimed April to be Safe Digging Month to promote the use of Dig Safe as the ground thaws and yard work season gets into gear. The Department of Public Utilities, utility companies, and other states across the nation are emphasizing Dig Safe reminders in April.
To avoid accidental strikes of underground utility lines, it is the law to call 811 at least three days before starting to dig on or near your property in Massachusetts. Many utilities are buried just inches below ground, and homeowners are urged to call 811 to have officials come mark any nearby utilities before embarking on projects like garden or mailbox installations.
DPU said excavation projects the leading cause of damage to underground utility infrastructure. It investigated 2,537 excavation-related incidents involving possible violations of utility infrastructure in Massachusetts last year and DPU’s investigations resulted in more than $14.1 million in civil penalties assessed to violators.
DPU also provides educational seminars for first-time offenders, which were attended by almost 258 different contractors in 2024. Those efforts, DPU said, have led to a “continuous reduction in the total damage rate per thousand tickets.”
