Installing a mailbox or fence, building a deck and landscaping are examples of digging projects that should only begin a few days after making a call to 811. Nearly half of American homeowners will not call 811 before digging, according to a recent national survey by Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the association dedicated to protecting underground utilities and the people who dig near them

Here’s how it works:

1. One free phone call to 811 makes it easy for your local one-call center to notify all appropriate utility companies of your intent to dig. Call a few days prior to digging to ensure enough time for the approximate location of utility lines to be marked with flags or paint.

2. When you call 811, a representative from your local one-call center will ask for the location and description of your digging project.

3. Your local one-call center will notify affected utility companies, which will then send professional locators to the proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of your lines.

4. Once all lines have been accurately marked, then roll up those sleeves and carefully dig around the marked areas.

For information about 811 or the one-call utility notification center in your area, visit www.call811.com.