An uptick in the number of broken natural gas lines last year prompted San Diego Gas & Electric to remind customers Monday to call 8-1-1 before they start digging holes or trenches.
According to the utility, about 260 natural gas pipes were damaged by residents or contractors in 2013, compared to nearly 200 the year before.
So far this year, 109 gas lines have been broken by errant diggers, Allison Zaragoza of SDG&E told City News Service.
Before beginning a project, residents, business owners and contractors should mark the proposed excavation area and call 8-1-1 at least two business days before the project is scheduled to begin, according to SDG&E.
Utility workers will then locate and mark company-owned underground pipes, lines and cables.
"Damaging a natural gas line can pose a significant safety risk and disrupt natural gas service," said Douglas Schneider, vice president of gas engineering and system integrity for SDG&E. "We ask everyone — whether digging at a construction site or at their homes — to make the quick 8-1-1 phone call to underground service alert to have utility-owned lines marked for free."
Residents and contractors can also go online to submit a request or get more information, at www.digalert.org.
Private lines, such as those running to a backyard fire pit, grill or pool heater, will need to be marked by a private pipe- or leak-detecting service.
Natural gas is flammable and can be ignited by a spark, according to SDG&E.
