Know What's Below. Call Before You Dig

By Sara A. Prince, SDGE Communications Manager

Underground pipelines can be located anywhere, including under streets, sidewalks and private property – sometimes just inches below the surface. Hitting one of these pipelines while digging, planting or doing demolition work can cause serious injury, property damage and loss of utility service.

That's why it's important to know where they are before you dig.

Whether you’re planning to build a major development or just landscaping your yard, make sure to call Underground Service Alert at 811 at least two working days before excavating. Underground Service Alert will coordinate with SDG&E and other utility owners in the area to mark the locations of buried utility-owned lines - absolutely FREE. You can also request a ticket online through call811.com.

The Underground Service Alert is available between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays).

What To Do:

• MARK OUT your proposed excavation area in white paint or provide other suitable markings.

• CALL Underground Service Alert at 811 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) or submit a location request online at call811.com at least two working days before digging.

• WAIT until either we mark our natural gas pipelines and indicate pipe material and diameter or advise you the area is clear before you start digging.

• REMEMBER that we use only yellow paint, flags or stakes to mark out the location of our natural gas pipes. Other utility owners use other colors to mark their telephone, communications, water or other underground lines.

• USE ONLY HAND TOOLS within 24 inches of each marked utility line to carefully expose the exact locations of all lines before using any power excavation equipment in the area.

• REPORT any pipe damage by calling us immediately at 1-800-411-7343. No damage is too small to report. Even a slight gouge, scrape or dent to a pipeline, the coating, or any component attached to or running alongside the pipe, such as a wire, may cause a dangerous break or leak in the future.

NOTE: SDG&E does not mark customer-owned natural gas lines, which typically run from the natural gas meter to the customer's natural gas equipment and appliances. To have customerowned lines located and marked before a project, you should contact a qualified pipe-locating professional. Even if you've hired a contractor, make sure the contractor calls 811 to have the natural gas lines marked.