Atmos Energy Celebrates 811 Day with Gold Cup of Safe Digging

The award recognizes leaders in damage prevention and raises awareness for Call 811

DALLAS (August 11, 2025) – Each and every year, Atmos Energy celebrates National 811 Day on Aug. 11 (8/11) to raise awareness for the importance of safe digging practices and procedures. In 2024, Atmos Energy amplified those efforts and introduced a new award to recognize damage prevention leaders with an outstanding safety record. That trophy, The Gold Cup of Safe Digging, is back again for 2025 and is being presented to valued partners who exemplify the gold standard of safe digging in the communities we serve.

“Third-party excavation damage is the greatest threat to natural gas distribution systems, accounting for more than 90 percent of all damage to Atmos Energy pipelines over the past 12 months,” said Kelly Biegler, Atmos Energy public affairs vice president. “This is why we created The Gold Cup of Safe Digging – to celebrate excavators who consistently and effectively protect underground utility lines. We greatly appreciate the winners for their ongoing partnership in natural gas safety.”

Atmos Energy is pleased to present The Gold Cup of Safe Digging to a total of 31 winners across the eight states it serves, including these operating in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex:
• Fannin Tree Farm – Frisco
• Lacy Construction – Dallas
• RPM xConstruction – McKinney
• Tri Dal – Southlake

Effective damage prevention helps to minimize harm to people, property, and the environment by proactively identifying potential risks and implementing solutions to avoid incidents before they occur. Calling 811 is a critical component of damage prevention efforts, helping to confirm that digging projects are conducted safely and without disrupting essential utility services. Striking even a single line can lead to injury, repair costs, inconvenient service outages, and fines.

State laws require homeowners, excavation companies, and contractors to call 811 a few business days before digging. When using this free service, the caller is connected to a local call center that notifies area utility companies of the location where digging will occur. Professional locators then arrive at the digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint, or both.

For more information about 811 and safe digging practices, visit Call811.com or the Atmos Energy website for safety tips – and don’t forget to become a safety ambassador by signing the Call 811 Pledge.

Press release submitted by Eva Hummel, edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News.

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