Advisory Notice March 25, 2025
811 Responsibilities
The Public Service Commission of West Virginia issues the following advisory notice to licensed owners, contractors and subcontractors who have or are planning digging projects in West Virginia.
The owner and contractor are ultimately responsible for any excavation that interrupts or damages any underground facilities, including gas, water or sewer lines, or buried electric or telephone lines.
Owners of underground facilities such as public service districts, state agencies, gas or water companies, broadband operators, and their contractors, and subcontractors are required by law to notify the one call center, also known as 811, at least two working days prior to any excavation in the state.
This advisory is being issued by the PSC because of a recent uptick in the number of underground facilities and utility lines that have been damaged by contractors digging without the proper notification to 811. A number of these excavators are failing to notify 811 of the damage to buried facilities. Excavators causing damage are required by law to notify 811 or can face severe daily fines.
The Commission encourages all parties to attend a damage prevention workshop at Hope Gas, Inc., offices at 179 Innovation Dr., Jane Lew, WV, 26378, on April 2. The event is free and anyone is invited to attend to learn about the 811 procedures. For more information and to register for the workshop, go to https://gowv.com/events/2025-damage-prevention-workshop/
For more information about WV811, how to become a member, the marking colors, or how to notify 811 about potential excavations, go to https://wv811.com/
April is Safe Digging Month, which is the traditional time when the Commission notifies companies and individuals of their responsibility to call 811 before they dig.