Even as the days get shorter, the weather remains ideal to finish
outdoor projects before the official storm season arrives. Whether it’s
finishing the long ignored fence project or finally getting around to
planting drought-resistant plants, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company
(PG&E) reminds customers that even in the rush to finish outdoor
projects in the last sunny weekends of the year, they should always call
811 at least two working days before any digging project.
“The need to finish projects safely has become even more urgent as we
all prepare for what could be a very significant storm season, but it’s
important that you take the time to call 811 before any digging project.
We see more damaging dig-ins to our underground facilities in the autumn
than during any other season; this final push to complete outdoor
projects may be part of the reason for this seasonal trend,” said John
Higgins, PG&E’s vice president of Gas Transmission and Distribution
Operations.
While many may assume a majority of dig-ins happen during the warmer
summer months, more than 20 percent of all unintentional underground
natural gas lines strikes on PG&E facilities take place in the months of
September and October.
Calling 811 connects homeowners and contractors to Underground Service
Alert (USA) which provides a free service that notifies utility
companies about any type of excavation project. Professional locators
are sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations
of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.
PG&E offers these tips for a safe excavation:
-
Call 811 at least 2 working days before and up to 14 calendar days in
advance of an excavation or digging project.
-
On paved surfaces, mark the proposed excavation area with white
chalk-based paint.
-
Homeowners can also use other white substances such as sugar or
flour.
-
On unpaved surfaces use flags or stakes to mark the proposed
excavation area.
-
Carefully hand-excavate within 24 inches on either side of a
utility-marked facility.
-
Digging even a few inches can pose some risks of striking a
utility line.
-
Immediately notify utilities about any type of contact or damage to
wires or pipes.
-
If there is any damage to PG&E electric wires or gas pipelines, or if
there is a possible gas leak, take these steps immediately:
-
Move to a safe location
-
Call 911
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Call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000
For more information about 811 and safe digging practices, visit www.call811.com
or www.pge.com/digsafely.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco,
with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the
nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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