Nicor Gas reminds customers, communities to “Call Before You Dig”

Company shares safety tips during National Safe Digging Month

NAPERVILLE, Il. – April 1, 2022 – Warmer temperatures have finally arrived and before homeowners and do-it-yourselfers spring into outdoor projects, Nicor Gas is reminding customers to “Call Before You Dig” to keep communities safe.  

Nicor Gas encourages customers to dial 811 to have underground utility lines marked before any digging projects, including fence installation, paving or pool installations. Professional excavators should also call 811 when performing any work such as tunneling, grading, boring or blasting. Contacting 811 is also recommended for smaller, manual jobs such as planting trees or installing mailboxes.

To protect underground utilities and help ensure communities stay safe and connected, Nicor Gas offers the following safe digging guidelines:

• Contact 811 Before You Dig: Before starting an outdoor digging project, contact 811 or visit illinois1call.com to request underground utility lines be marked at least three days prior to digging. This service is free and required by law.
• Allow the Required Time for Marking: After contacting 811, allow time for the underground utility lines to be marked before digging. The approximate location of the lines will be marked with color-coded spray paint, flags or stakes that correspond to the utility. The natural gas markings will be yellow.
• Respect the Marks: Only use hand digging tools in areas near the utility line markings.
• Excavate Carefully: Make sure the marks remain visible during the project. If the markings are no longer visible, contact 811 to have lines remarked. If a natural gas line is damaged accidentally or the distinctive rotten-egg odor associated with natural gas is present, call 911 or the Nicor Gas 24-hour emergency phone line at 1-888-Nicor-4U (1-888-642-6748) from a safe location.

Nicor Gas’ Safe Digging Arcade is another way for families to learn more about the importance of safe digging. Complete all eight activities to become a safe digging champion! The arcade uses science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) to educate children about how their families can stay safe and avoid damaging a utility line when digging around their homes.

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