Greer CPW will soon host a community event to make residents more aware of upcoming law changes affecting property excavation.
The South Carolina Underground Facility Damage Prevention Act will have more than 70 different changes to the law, with the most impactful being the amount of fines from the Attorney General’s office. Greer CPW, South Carolina 811 and Wild Ace Pizza have partnered to educate both customers and contractors about the importance of calling 811 before you dig.
“Last year, we had more than $172,000 in gas line damages caused by homeowners and third-party contractors, so we hope to educate the public while treating them to pizza, ice cream and other fun giveaways,” Alison Rauch, pubic information coordinator, said.
April is Safe Digging Month and Greer CPW says it wants to spread the message of safe digging while landscaping and installing pools and trees are top of mind for many homeowners.
“If anyone is planning to install of any of these items, we need them to attend our event and learn why it’s so important to have underground utility lines marked,” Misty Wise, executive director of SC 811 said.
811 is the national call-before-you-dig number that alerts utilities you intend to dig at a specific address. Before putting a shovel or heavy machinery in the ground, call 811 at least three days in advance and locators will be dispatched for free to mark underground utility lines.
From 5 to 7 p.m. April 1, at Wild Ace Pizza, the community is encouraged to visit Greer CPW’s free event to learn more about utility color codes, state law and talk with utility locating professionals.
Guests will receive free ice cream and pizza and iHeart Media’s Bill Ellis will be live on WSSL 100.5. There will be educational coloring sheets and age-appropriate giveaways for youth.
