RICHMOND, Va., April 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Every six
minutes, someone strikes and damages an underground utility line,
but you can help defend your neighborhood. Practicing safe digging
techniques and calling 8-1-1 before putting a shovel or backhoe
into the ground can go a long way to protecting your life and your
property.
"Spring is the time of year when many of our customers think
about planting trees and shrubs, putting up a fence or replacing a
mailbox post," said Ed Baine, senior
vice president of Distribution. "But with more than 20 million
miles of underground utilities buried across the country, it's very
likely that there are telecommunications, cable, electrical or gas
lines buried in your yard—in places you cannot see and may not
expect."
April is National Safe Digging Month and Dominion Virginia Power
encourages customers to make a free call to VA811 before digging a
hole – no matter how shallow. A professional locator will visit
your property to mark the underground lines with flags or paint to
help prevent you from making a costly and possibly life-threatening
mistake.
VA811 and Dominion recommend that homeowners and contractors
remember:
- Plan ahead: always call 8-1-1 at least three business days
before digging and allow time for marking, regardless of the depth
of the dig or familiarity with the property.
- If a contractor has been hired, confirm that a call to 811 has
been made.
- After you see paint markings or flags, but before you start to
dig, confirm with the VA811 call center that all utilities have
responded and marked their lines.
- Consider moving your project if it is near utility line
markings.
For more tips and information about safe digging and the
one-call process, visit www.VA811.com
or
https://www.dom.com/business/dominion-virginia-power/safety/call-before-you-dig.
About Dominion Virginia Power
Dominion Virginia Power is a subsidiary of Dominion
(NYSE: D), one of the nation's largest producers and transporters
of energy. Dominion provides energy or products and services to
more than five million customers in 14 states. It has a portfolio
of approximately 24,300 megawatts of generation and 6,500 miles of
electric transmission lines. Dominion also operates one of the
nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 933 billion cubic
feet of storage capacity. For more information about Dominion,
visit the company's website at www.dom.com.
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SOURCE Dominion