As the sun sets later and more Floridians are heading outdoors, Tampa Electric is reminding residents to make a quick call to 811 before planting trees, installing fences or starting any project that requires digging.
Throughout April, Sunshine 811, Tampa Electric and other utilities are recognizing National Safe Digging Month, an annual campaign highlighting the importance of knowing what’s below the ground’s surface. Underground electric lines, natural gas pipelines, water lines and communications cables are often buried just a few inches. Striking one while digging can disrupt essential services, cause serious injury and lead to costly repairs or fines.
The reminder comes as more Americans plan do-it-yourself projects. A recent national survey found that 74 percent of Americans plan to tackle a do-it-yourself outdoor project this spring. Alarmingly, nearly one in five of them will not contact 811 before they begin their projects. While homeowners risk damaging their own service lines, the consequences can be far more widespread when safe digging practices aren’t followed. A single hit line can leave hundreds of homes and businesses without utility service.
Tampa Electric helps prevent these incidents through its team of professional underground locators, who mark the approximate locations of power lines around homes and businesses at no additional cost – but only when a request is made through 811. In 2025, the team responded to about 140,000 requests, for a total of more than 1.2 million requests since the team’s inception in 2016. During that time, damage to Tampa Electric’s underground equipment has dropped by more than 95 percent.
Calling 811 is free, easy and required by law before digging. Sunshine 811 notifies all affected utility companies, ensuring underground equipment is properly marked. Residents should remember these key tips before starting a project:
- Call 811 at least two full business days before digging. You’ll be asked for the location and brief description of your project. Digging on a Saturday? Call by Wednesday.
- Working on a small project at a single address? Submit a request online at Sunshine811.com by clicking Create A Ticket.
- Wait for utilities to respond and mark their underground lines before you start digging. To ensure it’s safe to proceed, visit Sunshine811.com and click Check Responses.
- Always dig carefully within 24 inches of any marked lines in your project area.
- Leave all paint marks and flags in place, even if you’re not digging – they signal upcoming work by other neighbors or work crews.
For more information about safe digging, visit Sunshine811.com or TampaElectric.com/811.
Tampa Electric, one of Florida’s largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves about 870,000 customers in West Central Florida. Tampa Electric is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.