It is important to know where underground utilities are located before you begin to dig.

That’s why Carbon County is recognizing April as Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month.

On Thursday, the commissioners adopted a proclamation recognizing the importance of Pennsylvania 811, which is a utility notification information center that helps homeowners and contractors identify underground utility locations.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich said that by calling 811 before beginning to dig, people are helping themselves, their neighbors and their communities.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” he said, noting that if a person were to strike a gas line or a water line, it would be an inconvenience to many people, as well as the men and women who then must come out to fix the problem.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein added that not only is it an inconvenience, but it can also put people’s lives and property at risk in the event of an emergency.

“If you hit a gas line and you get a major gas leak, it is a hazard,” he said, citing the recent explosion at the chocolate factory in Reading, which is believed to have been caused by a gas leak.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said digging without calling first and hitting a utility line could cause issues for weeks until the problem is fully resolved.

“It’s safety,” he said. “Even if you are just digging up a tree in your yard, you could be hitting something. Anywhere you are digging down, you should call because you never know.”

Pennsylvania 811 asks that people planning to dig call at least three business days in advance so that the service can notify the appropriate underground operators in that municipality to make sure the location is suitable for digging.

For more information, visit https://www.pa1call.org.