Homeowners and contractors must call 811 before undertaking any excavation or digging projects.
Calling 811 is safe, free, and the law. For your safety, you are required by law to call 811 at least two working days before you plan to dig so your underground utility lines can be marked.
How 811 works:
A majority of gas pipeline leaks occur as a result of individuals digging on their own property. State law requires all excavators and private citizens to contact an 811 center prior to any excavation activities. Once 811 is called, Summit Natural Gas will mark all gas pipelines free of charge.
Although natural gas pipelines have an unparalleled safety record, occasionally leaks do occur.
Although natural gas pipelines have an unparalleled safety record, occasionally leaks do occur.
If you suspect a natural gas leak, call Summit immediately at 800-883-3181 from your neighbor’s house or another location away from the leak.
Natural gas does not have an odor, so an odorant called Mercaptan is added to signal a leak. Mercaptan gives off a foul smell, reminiscent of rotten eggs or sulfur.
Under no circumstances should you ever attempt to repair, stop or fix a pipeline leak, or rupture. Trained pipeline technicians with specialized equipment and knowledge are the only individuals qualified to conduct repairs on natural gas pipelines.
For many years, utilities nationwide have installed gas pipelines by boring underground, rather than digging trenches, to avoid tearing up paving and landscaping.
Existing utility facilities, such as underground electrical and pipes, are located and marked in accordance with the requirements of Digsafe laws before new gas pipelines are installed using underground boring technology.
Sometimes, a private underground facility such as private sewer line that is not mapped and cannot be discovered with the use of above-ground locating devices is inadvertently struck by the underground boring machine resulting in what is known as “cross-bore.”
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