Utility Advises Residents, Others to Call 811 Before Digging

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - As the digging season gets under way, Atlantic City Electric reminds homeowners and outdoor workers of the need to call 811 before their digging occurs.

Natural gas, electricity, cable television, water, sewer and telephone lines are commonly buried underground, making it necessary to know where those lines are in order to prevent them from being struck and damaged by the digger.

This year, May has been designated as National Safe Digging Month to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the national call-before-you-dig number - 811. When 811 is called from anywhere in Atlantic City Electric's service territory, the call is routed to the local One Call center where operators will ask for the location of the digging job. Then the call is routed to the affected utility companies. The affected companies send a locator to mark utility lines within a few days.

It is important to call 811 at least two days before the scheduled dig. Then, the location of any underground utilities will be marked within three business days at no cost to the homeowner or the professional digger. If unauthorized digging occurs and causes harm, the property owner may have to answer to charges and pay costly fines and repairs.

Remember, smart digging means calling One Call before each job, whether you are a professional excavator or a homeowner. Each state has different laws for digging, so visit www.call811.com for state-specific information.

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Atlantic City Electric, a public utility owned by Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), provides safe, reliable and affordable regulated electric delivery services to more than 540,000 customers in southern New Jersey.