Above / Nicor Gas reinforces safe digging practices for National 811 Day on Aug. 11. Remember, before you dig, always call 811. It’s the law.
NAPERVILLE – Aug. 10, 2018 – To ensure the highest level of safety, Nicor Gas continues to support National 811 Day, recognized each Aug. 11 (8/11), by joining other utility companies, one-call centers, damage prevention advocates and professional contractors to raise public awareness that state law requires a call to 811 before starting any outdoor digging projects.
Making a toll-free call to 811 in advance of digging projects, such as planting a garden, building a deck or putting in a swimming pool, can help prevent injuries, property damages and inconvenient utility outages.
Follow safe digging guidelines
- Call 811 before you dig: This first step, which should be done at least two working days prior to excavating (excludes weekends and holidays), connects you to the JULIE one-call center to begin the process of having your underground utility lines located for free. Calls can be made 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
- Wait the required amount of time for marking: Locators will mark the underground utility lines with color-coded paint, flags or stakes that correspond to utility types. Yellow is used for natural gas.
- Respect the marks: Use the appropriate digging methods to dig no closer than 18 inches from the marked underground utility lines and request remarking when marks are damaged, removed or no longer visible.
- Excavate carefully: If a natural gas line is accidentally damaged or the smell of the distinctive, rotten-egg odor associated with natural gas is present, call Nicor Gas at 888-642-6748 or 911 once you are out of the area of the suspected leak and in a safe place. Do not attempt to repair, clamp or constrict a damaged utility line. Be sure to stay away until Nicor Gas or emergency personnel indicate it is safe to return.
For more info about natural gas safety, visit www.nicorgas.com/safety.
Nicor Gas
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit www.nicorgas.com.
Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.2 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with 774,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas and related home services. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit Southern Company Gas at southerncompanygas.com.
Submitted by Jennifer Golz, Manager, PR & Media Relations, Corporate Communications, for Nicor Gas. (PN File Photos)
