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Kentucky American Water Celebrates National 811 Day, Promotes Safe Digging Practices

In honor of National 811 Day, Kentucky American Water joins with utility companies around the nation to raise awareness about the importance of safe digging practices. Observed annually on August 11, National 811 Day serves as a reminder to customers to “Call Before You Dig” to prevent accidents and disruptions to essential services.

“Protecting our underground infrastructure is something we should all work together to do,” said Charles Dick, senior superintendent of operations at Kentucky American Water and Kentucky 811 board member. “By participating in National 811 Day, we hope to emphasize the significance of calling 811 before starting any excavation project, no matter how small.”

Every few minutes, an underground utility line is damaged due to unsafe digging practices, resulting in injuries, service disruptions and costly repairs. By following these steps, customers can play their part in preventing such incidents:

  1. Contact 811: Prior to any digging activity, call 811 from any telephone or visit https://kentucky811.org/ to request utility markings on your property.
  2. Wait for Markings: Utility professionals will mark the location of underground utilities using color-coded markings. Be aware of these markings and use them as a guide for safe excavation. Kentucky American Water’s underground lines will be marked with small blue flags.
  3. Dig with Care: Once utility lines are marked, dig carefully within the indicated boundaries. Hand dig when approaching marked utilities to prevent accidental damage.
  4. Spread the Message: Help us spread the word about safe digging by sharing best practices with friends, families and your place of business.

 

At Kentucky American Water, we are committed to protecting the safety of our customers and our employees. Contacting 811 before starting a project is not only the responsible and safe thing to do, but in Kentucky, it’s also the law.

For more information about safe digging practices and the “Call Before You Dig” program in Kentucky, please visit https://kentucky811.org/.

Kentucky American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately half a million people. For more information, visit www.kentuckyamwater.com and follow Kentucky American Water on Twitter and Facebook.


Media Contacts

Ellen U Williams

Specialist, External Affairs

859.268.6364

ellen.williams@amwater.com