NEW JERSEY NATURAL GAS EMPHASIZES SAFE DIGGING PRACTICES ON NATIONAL 811 DAY (8/11)

Wall, N.J. – August 11 is National 811 Day, and New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) wants to remind residents to keep themselves and their communities safe by calling 811 to have underground public utility lines marked out prior to the start of any digging project. Underground utility lines are located virtually everywhere, and some may be buried at a shallow depth. An unintended shovel dig can strike a utility line and result in utility outages, costly repairs, fines or catastrophic consequences.

All projects big and small require a call to 811 at least three business days before breaking ground to have the work site properly marked. In fact, the most common homeowner projects that result in damage to underground utility lines are installing or replacing a fence or mailbox, building a deck, planting or removing a tree or shrub, laying a patio and repaving the driveway. Knowing where underground facilities are located can help keep communities safe.

New Jersey law requires anyone who plans to dig to call at least three full business days (excluding weekends and holidays) – and not more than 10 – prior to beginning work. This includes excavators, contractors and homeowners. Contacting 811 automatically connects whoever plans to dig with New Jersey One Call, which generates a request to local utility companies to mark the approximate location of their buried lines with paint or flags. Yellow indicates a natural gas line is below. Every project that involves digging warrants a request for a free mark out of underground utilities with a call to 811 or visit to nj1-call.org.

“On National 811 Day and throughout the year, we encourage homeowners and contractors alike to make safety a priority with a call to 811 before putting a shovel in the ground. Contacting 811 is an important first step to keeping our communities safe,” said John Wyckoff, vice president of Energy Delivery at New Jersey Natural Gas.

When planning a digging project, always take the following actions:

• Contact 811 a few days before digging, regardless of the depth or familiarity with the property.

• Plan ahead. Make a free 811 request on Monday or Tuesday for work planned for an upcoming weekend, providing ample time for the approximate location of lines to be marked.

• Confirm all lines have been marked.

• Consider moving the location of the project if it is near utility line markings.

• If a contractor has been hired, confirm the contractor has contacted 811 for a markout of underground utilities. Don't allow work to begin if the lines aren't marked.

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