The Federal Commission Communications – (FCC) has authorized the designation of 811 as a national, toll-free “call-before-you-dig” number. The goal of having the three-digit number is to make it easy for contractors to give advance notice of their excavation plans and avoid damaging underground utilities and pipelines. The FCC estimates that 40 percent of the incidents that damage underground pipes and cables are caused by those who don’t call authorities before digging.
