An underground utility line is damaged every six minutes, meaning that ten times an hour, a potentially dangerous and quite costly incident causes a utility outage for anywhere from one customer to an entire neighborhood, business park or factory.

Don't be a statistic: take just a couple of minutes to hear a message so important that it has its own day. National Safe Digging Day (811 Day) is Aug. 11, serving as an important reminder that everyone, whether a homeowner with a shovel or a professional excavator with an earthmover, must Call Before You Dig.

Call 811 two to five business days before you dig to have underground utility lines marked for free by professionals using flags, spray paint or both. In Nebraska, call 811 toll-free to reach Nebraska One-Call to schedule your visit. You also can schedule online at www.ne1call.com.

Black Hills employees will be visiting construction crews around the state on Aug. 11 to provide information on safe digging, and the public is invited to learn safe digging practices by visiting Earl May Nursery & Garden Center at 48th and Hwy. 2 in Lincoln, Earl May Nursery and Garden Center at 92nd and Center in Omaha, the SourceGas office at 610 Central Ave. in Kearney, and the CenturyLink office at 2806 Ave. D in Scottsbluff.

"No matter the size of job you are planning, digging without knowing the location of underground utilities can result in damages to gas, electric, communications, water and sewer lines that may affect neighborhood service, require costly repairs or even result in widespread, serious injury," said Jeff Sylvester, Black Hills Energy's vice president for Nebraska gas operations. "Even small jobs like planting a tree require a call to 811."

Even if you had your lines marked before, call again to have them located before every project. Erosion, the freeze/thaw cycle, drought or flooding and root growth can alter the depth or location of buried lines. Your utility companies also may have completed work on their lines that you are unaware of since the last time you dug.

Visit www.blackhillsenergy.comfor more information about 811, safe digging practices, how to save money by saving energy and other energy-related services and information. Don't make a judgment call, make a phone call. Know what's below. Every time you plan to dig, call 811 two to five working days before you begin. It's free, it's easy, and it's the law.

distributed by