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April is Safe Digging Month

UNION, N.J. – With spring digging season in bloom, Elizabethtown Gas is reminding customers during Safe Digging Month to take the first step to ensure their safety and the continuity of natural gas service by calling 8-1-1 prior to starting any outdoor digging projects. 

Whether it’s a small do-it-yourself task or large construction project, Elizabethtown Gas offers these guidelines for residents and contractors to get the job done safely:

• Call Before You Dig: When starting an outdoor project involving digging, customers are advised to make contacting New Jersey One Call at 8-1-1 or visiting www.nj1-call.org part of their plans. Calls to the free locating service can be made up to 14 days in advance.  The requests to have utility operators mark underground facilities, including natural gas, water, cable, telephone and electric lines, can be made 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
• Wait the Required Time: Customers are urged to wait until the lines are marked before doing any digging. The approximate location of underground utility lines will be marked with color-coded spray paint, flags or stakes that correspond to the utility. The color used for natural gas is yellow.
• Respect the Marks: Once the lines are marked, use the appropriate digging methods, which may include hand tools, no closer than 24 inches of the marked utility lines.
• Dig with Care: Make sure the marks remain visible during the project. If the lines are damaged or removed, customers are encouraged to call 8-1-1 for a re-mark. If a natural gas line is accidentally damaged or the district odor of gas is present, call the 24-hour emergency response line at 1-800-492-4009 from a safe location. Do not operate any machinery or any equipment that might cause a spark.

Visit Pipeline Safety for more information.