LOS ANGELES, April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- April is
National Safe Digging Month and Southern California Gas Co.
(SoCalGas) is reminding customers, contractors and business owners
that natural gas safety is a shared responsibility.
Contractors, business owners and customers should call 811 to
have utility-owned lines marked before digging at construction
sites, in the garden or before removing grass to plant drought
tolerant succulents. Calling 811 (Underground Service Alert) will
help avoid possible damage to hidden gas lines, loss of natural gas
service or serious injuries.
Safety is SoCalGas' core value and the utility has worked
aggressively to make sure its system continues to be safe. These
efforts have included:
- Modernized infrastructure: SoCalGas replaced pre-World
War II transmission pipe, updated its metering and regulating
facilities and modernized its distribution system with plastic
pipe. The company will invest $6
billion over the next five years to maintain and improve
safety, reliability and service to its customers.
- Leak surveys: SoCalGas regularly conducts surveys
from transmission, distribution and gas storage facilities in
compliance with federal and state regulations and
requirements.
- Pipeline Integrity Program: SoCalGas inspects the
integrity of its critical lines on an ongoing basis with its
Pipeline Integrity Program.
"We all play a part in making sure our communities stay safe.
Since gas lines that serve homes and businesses are located
underground and out of sight, sometimes just inches below the
surface, we urge everyone – whether digging at your business, in
the street or your home -- to make the quick 811 phone call to
Underground Service Alert to have utility-owned lines marked for
free," said Jimmie Cho, senior vice
president of gas operations and system integrity for SoCalGas.
A utility line is damaged by digging once every three minutes
nationwide, and many of these incidents are caused by failure of
the professional excavator or homeowner to simply call 811 before
beginning their digging project.
Last year, there were more than 2,600 "dig-ins" to SoCalGas
pipelines which the utility hopes will decrease this year through
increased public awareness. Before digging, customers, contractors
and business owners should call 811 to reach Underground Service
Alert at least two business days before the project begins.
Underground Service Alert is free and they will contact SoCalGas
and other area utilities. Each utility will then locate and mark
the underground lines, pipes and cables they own.
As a reminder, SoCalGas-owned pipelines typically extend from
the gas main pipeline, 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 barbecues, fire pits or spa
equipment. SoCalGas does not mark these customer-owned lines. To
have customer-owned lines located and marked before a project,
SoCalGas advises its customers to call pipe and leak locating
service companies or licensed plumbing contractors who provide
these services.
About Southern California Gas Co.
Southern California
Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to
its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation's largest
natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 21.4 million
consumers connected through 5.9 million meters in more than 500
communities. The company's service territory encompasses
approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and
Southern California, from
Visalia to the Mexican border.
Southern California Gas Co. is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra
Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company
based in San Diego.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.