SAN DIEGO, April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego
Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is reminding local contractors
and customers about the importance of calling 8-1-1 before you dig.
By contacting this free underground service alert two days before
construction starts, contractors and customers can receive visual
markings for all the utility lines, cables and pipes in the area,
thus avoiding possible injury or damage.
"One of SDG&E's top priorities, and a foundation of the
company, is the safety of the public," said Scott Furgerson, vice president of gas
operations for SDG&E. "It's critical for contractors and our
customers to be engaged directly on safety, and we strongly
encourage residents to call 8-1-1 before you dig. This is a great
free service we offer to customers that marks utility-owned lines
in the community, thereby ensuring the safety of construction
projects."
Before digging, contractors and customers should mark the
proposed excavation area, and are required by law to call 8-1-1 at
least two business days before the project is scheduled to begin.
Underground Service Alert will then locate and mark the underground
lines, pipes and cables for free, by working with all local
utilities, including SDG&E. For more information about safe
digging or to submit an online request, visit digalert.org or view
this video link.
SDG&E-owned pipelines typically extend from the gas main, in
front or behind the home or business, to the gas meter.
Customer-owned gas pipes are the lines that run from the gas meter
to the building or area where gas-fueled equipment or appliances
are located, such as a natural gas barbeque. To have these
customer-owned lines located and marked before a project, SDG&E
advises its customers to call pipe and leak locating service
companies or licensed plumbing contractors who provide these
services.
If you suspect a gas emergency, or have questions regarding a
gas odor or carbon monoxide, please call SDG&E immediately at
800-411-7343. Customers should always remember that natural gas is
flammable and that something as simple as a spark can serve as an
ignition source. Use your sense of sight, hearing and smell and any
of the following signs to alert you to the presence of a gas
leak:
Look
- Dirt or water being blown in the air.
- Dead or dying vegetation (in an otherwise moist area) over or
near pipeline areas.
- A fire or explosion near a pipeline.
- Exposed pipeline after an earthquake, fire, flood or other
disaster.
Listen
- An unusual sound, such as a hissing, whistling or roaring sound
near a pipeline.
Smell
- The distinctive odor of natural gas.
- Although we add a distinctive odor to natural gas to aid in the
detection of leaks, you should not rely on your sense of smell
alone to determine if you have a gas leak.
For more safety information, visit sdge.com/safety. You can also
call SDG&E at 800-411-7343. To find out the approximate
location of major gas transmission pipelines, visit the
National Pipeline Mapping System website at
npms.phmsa.dot.gov/.
SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and
reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4
million electric meters and 868,000 natural gas meters in
San Diego and southern
Orange counties. The utility's
area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to
creating ways to help customers save energy and money every
day. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a
Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San
Diego. Connect with SDG&E's Customer Contact Center at
800-411-7343, on Twitter (@SDGE) and Facebook.
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SOURCE San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)