SAN DIEGO, Aug. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, on
Aug. 11 (8/11), San Diego Gas &
Electric (SDG&E) is reminding customers about the
importance of calling 8-1-1 before you dig. Last year, nearly 283
natural gas lines were damaged by third-party contractors or
residents, a slight increase from the same time period in 2014.
Calling 8-1-1 or Underground Service Alert will help avoid possible
injury or damage to hidden gas lines or service interruption
(video link).
"Damaging a natural gas line can pose a significant safety risk
and disrupt natural gas service," said Scott Furgerson, vice president of gas
operations for SDG&E. "We ask everyone – whether digging at a
construction site or at their homes -- to make the quick 8-1-1
phone call to Underground Service Alert to have utility-owned lines
marked for free."
Before digging in their yard, place of business or the street,
residents, business owners and contractors should mark the proposed
excavation area, and call 8-1-1 at least two business days before
the project is scheduled to begin. Underground Service Alert will
contact all local utilities for free to have them locate and mark
the underground lines, pipes and cables they own. For more
information about safe digging or to submit an online request,
visit digalert.org.
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.
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. It's important to keep in mind 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 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.
- However, 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.
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)