Before You Plant, Build, or Break Ground: Southwest Gas Urges Residents and Contractors to Contact 811

Ahead of National 811 Day, free 811 requests help prevent avoidable damage to underground utilities


PHOENIX, AZ (August 4, 2026) – From planting a tree to installing a fence or upgrading irrigation, a successful project starts with knowing what’s below before digging begins. Ahead of National 811 Day on August 11, Southwest Gas is reminding homeowners, renters, and contractors to contact 811 before breaking ground on any project to help prevent injuries, property damage, service outages, and damage to underground utility lines.


National 811 Day on August 11 is an annual public awareness day focused on safe digging. Contacting 811 or submitting an online request at call811.com at least two working days before digging allows utility-owned underground lines to be marked at no cost before work begins. This helps prevent damage to natural gas, electric, water, and other essential services.


In 2025, Southwest Gas processed approximately 980,000 requests to have underground utility lines marked across its service territory, and companywide damage to underground natural gas infrastructure decreased 4.5 percent compared to 2024. Even with that progress, homeowners who began digging projects without first contacting 811 accounted for the largest share of damage to underground natural gas lines across Southwest Gas’ service territories, with the majority of those incidents involving hand tools. The data highlights why contacting 811 before digging is an important step for projects of any size.


Before digging, Southwest Gas encourages residents and contractors to:


  • Hand dig carefully within two feet of newly marked lines
  • Use blunt tools like rounded shovels to avoid puncturing lines
  • Watch for soil changes or unexpected materials that may signal proximity to a utility line
  • Verify line depth and location, don’t rely on assumptions or old markings


Southwest Gas also offers free damage-prevention training across its service territory to contractors, landscapers, plumbers, municipalities, and homeowners. The training covers state-specific excavation requirements, safe digging best practices, how to work around marked lines, and what to do in the event of a suspected line strike. More information is available at swgas.com/damage-prevention-training.


Know the Signs of a Natural Gas Leak

If you damage or suspect damage to a natural gas line, even if you are not a Southwest Gas customer, leave the area immediately and from a safe location call 911 and Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020.


A natural gas leak may be detected by:

•       A strong odor, similar to sulfur or rotten eggs

•       A hissing or roaring sound near the ground or appliances

•       Blowing dirt, bubbling water, or unexplained dead vegetation


For more information about safe digging practices, visit swgas.com/dig-safe. For more information about natural gas safety, visit swgas.com/safety.


About Southwest Gas

Southwest Gas Corporation is a dynamic energy company committed to exceeding the expectations of our over two million customers throughout Arizona, California, and Nevada by providing safe, reliable, and affordable service while innovating sustainable energy solutions to fuel our communities’ growth. For more information about how Southwest Gas is supporting a sustainable energy future, please visit www.swgas.com. 

Whipple Observatory and Green Valley Recreation Launch First Annual Southwest Skies Astronomy & Dark Skies Festival

August 26, 2026
August 20, 2026 (Amado, Arizona)— A new festival celebrating the awe-inspiring dark skies of the Southwest United States is coming to Green Valley, Arizona thanks to a new partnership between Green Valley Recreation and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Southwest Skies, which will run from October 1-3, 2026, at facilities from Green Valley to Amado, is designed to spotlight not only astronomical research and the Southwest’s clear, dark skies but also the community that makes it possible. “At the Whipple Observatory, we believe that the sky is for everyone, and launching Southwest Skies is just one of the many ways we are working to make the sky, and science, more accessible to our local and global communities,” said Gabrelle Saurage, Site Director, Whipple Observatory, who will provide the keynote presentation on the final evening of the festival. “We also recognize that this festival is so much more than a celebration of the night sky. It’s also opening our local community to guests from around the globe to appreciate what we all get to experience every day and night living here.” Thanks to a new partnership with Green Valley Recreation, the festival will be entirely free for both attendees and exhibitors, allowing the community and its visitors to come together for three days of wonder in learning about the night sky and how we all interact with and protect it. "There's something magical about looking up at the night sky. It reminds us that no matter our background or experience, we're all connected by a shared sense of wonder,” said Nick McLain, Events and Entertainment Manager, Green Valley Recreation. “Through our partnership with Whipple Observatory, Southwest Skies brings our community together to explore, learn, and create unforgettable memories under some of the darkest skies in the country. That's what Green Valley Recreation is all about—bringing people together through experiences that inspire." The festival will feature exhibits, science lectures, community events, star parties, a pop-up art show, and a community forum with Tucson and Pima County on the Outdoor Lighting Code revisions currently under consideration. The event isn’t just for astronomy and dark skies organizations. It’s for the entire community, and local businesses in Southern Arizona are encouraged to participate by hosting themed events throughout the festival. "The Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center is proud to support Southwest Skies and welcome visitors from across Arizona and beyond to experience one of our region's greatest natural treasures, our extraordinary dark skies,” said Randy Graf, President & CEO of the Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce. “This exciting new festival not only celebrates science, education, art, and discovery, but also creates meaningful opportunities for local businesses, restaurants, hotels, and community organizations to engage with residents and visitors alike. Events like Southwest Skies showcase the unique character of Green Valley and Sahuarita while generating economic activity and fostering community pride. We encourage businesses throughout the area to participate and help make this a truly community-wide celebration." “As part of the Smithsonian Institution, we are always looking for new ways to work with and for our community to help make it a better place to live, work, and play, and hosting Southwest Skies here gives us the opportunity to highlight not only our counterparts throughout the Southwest, but also the local businesses, organizations, and people that make Southern Arizona unique and special,” said Amy C. Oliver, FRAS, head of education and public outreach at Whipple Observatory, and the lead organizer of this year’s festival. “As the Smithsonian in your backyard, we’re looking forward to opening our doors again this Fall with new services and opportunities around every corner, starting with Southwest Skies.” Whipple Observatory opens to the public with expanded hours on Saturdays beginning September 25, 2026. Tickets for Up Close with VERITAS walking tours and small group private tours of the upper observatory are available now at VisitWhipple.cfa.harvard.edu.  Visit https://southwestskies.cfa.harvard.edu/ for the current and growing list of programs and exhibitors, and information on how you can take part as a community organization, speaker, or artist. Events at Southwest Skies Take the Public to the Edge of Darkness and Beyond The current program for Southwest Skies includes (but is continuing to grow): Thursday, October 1, 2026 Green Valley Rec Center West, 1111 GVR Dr., Green Valley, AZ 85614 Exhibits, activities, food trucks, music, and solar telescopes, 5:00pm-9:00pm Visions of a Southwest Sky pop-uppop up juried art show, 5:00pm-9:00pm Artists can learn more and submit artwork at: southwestskies.cfa.harvard.edu/art-show Prizes include a Plein Air studio session behind the private gates at Whipple Observatory and a private tour of the Hartmann Art Gallery at the Planetary Science Institute Community Performance & Arts Center, 1250 W Continental Rd, Green Valley, AZ 85622 Light Speed Lectures, 6:00pm-7:30pm Tickets free but strongly suggested. Visit CPAC online to secure your tickets. Star party with Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, 7:30pm-9:00pm Friday, October 2, 2026 Whipple Observatory, 670 Mt. Hopkins Rd., Amado, Arizona 85645 Open house visits to the lower observatory, 10:00am-3:00pm Hands-on activities, solar telescopes, and demonstrations, 11:00am-2:00pm Up Close with VERITAS walking tours, 8:30am and 10:00am Santa Rita Springs, 921 W Via Rio Fuerte, Green Valley, AZ 85614 “Protecting Our Dark Skies” presentation with Dark Sky Defenders, 6:00pm-7:00pm Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code Open Q&A and Community Forum with Tucson and Pima County staff and members of the Outdoor Lighting Code Committee, 7:00pm-8:30pm Telescopes and constellation tour with Apache Point Observatory and Whipple Observatory, 7:30pm-9:00pm Arizona Family Restaurant, 80 W Esperanza Blvd, Green Valley, AZ 85614 Space Trivia, 6:00pm Saturday, October 3, 2026 Whipple Observatory, 670 Mt. Hopkins Rd., Amado, Arizona 85645 Open house visits to the lower observatory, 10:00am-3:00pm Hands-on activities, solar telescopes, and demonstrations, 11:00am-2:00pm Up Close with VERITAS walking tours, 8:30am and 10:00am Santa Rita Springs, 921 W Via Rio Fuerte, Green Valley, AZ 85614 Keynote presentation: Gabrelle Saurage, Site Director, Whipple Observatory, 6:30pm-7:30pm Star Party with Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, Apache Point Observatory, and friends, 7:30pm-9:00pm
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