“No matter what day it is, we want to continue to remind everyone that calling 811 is an essential part of any outdoor digging project”, said Jennifer Barbour, damage prevention manager.
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With August 11 here, South Jersey Gas hopes today will serve as a natural reminder for residents to call 811 prior to any digging project to have underground utility lines marked.
Small weekend projects like planting a tree or hedges, putting in a mailbox or pouring concrete can have disastrous consequences if utilities have not been marked, according to Columbia Gas. If the air smells like rotten eggs, if you see dying vegetation or bubbling water, or hear a hissing sound, immediately leave the area and call your natural gas utility. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.
Homeowners and contractors should call 811 to notify the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig.
CAYCE, S.C. (SCE&G Press Release) – Every six minutes, an underground utility line is damaged because someone made a decision to dig without calling 811 first.
If a natural gas line is accidentally damaged or the distinct odor of gas is present, call 1-800-492-4009 from a safe location.
Be sure to wait for all responses and confirmations from the various utility owners before doing any digging. Failure to call 811 may be punishable by fines, which in some states can be as high as $1,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for subsequent offenses. Don’t dig until lines have been marked.
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Promotion of the Call 8-1-1 and other pipeline safety messages has helped Dominion East Ohio reduce third-party dig-ins by 50 percent over the past nine years.
