SAN DIEGO, April 26, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- With spring in full gear and summer close behind, more and more homeowners will pursue projects in their yards, such as putting up a new wall or fence, planting a tree or putting in a swimming pool. Officials at San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) are encouraging customers to "call before they dig" to avoid hidden natural gas and electric lines.
"This is the season when many homeowners or their hired contractors are digging on the property, and they don't realize that the gas and electric lines serving the home are located underground and out of sight," said Mike Hale, director of gas distribution services at SDG&E. "Safe and reliable natural gas and electric service is our No. 1 priority. A quick phone call to Underground Service Alert to have utility lines marked can help customers avoid unnecessary and costly damage, possible injury or service interruption."
SDG&E said annually there are more than 1,400 customer and contractor "dig-ins," preventable accidents, which the company hopes will decrease through increased public awareness.
Customers should call Underground Service Alert (USA) at (800) 227-2600 at least two working days before digging in their yards. As a free service, USA will contact SDG&E and other area utilities, and the utilities will then locate and mark their respective underground facilities.
SDG&E-owned pipelines typically extend from the gas main, in front of or behind the home, to the gas meter.
Customer-owned natural gas piping is the line that runs beyond the gas meter to a building or area where gas-fueled equipment or appliances are located. To have these lines located and marked, SDG&E advises customers to call pipe and leak locating services or plumbing contractors who provide maintenance services.
Once all lines are marked, customers should "carefully use only hand-digging tools within two feet of marked gas and electric lines," Hale advised.
SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to three million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 800,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties. Exceptional customer service is a priority of SDG&E as it seeks to enhance the region's quality of life. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. To learn more, go to www.sdge.com.