Know What's Below… Call Before You Dig

CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- August 11 is National 811 Day. Peoples Gas/North Shore Gas reminds Chicago residents planning late summer landscaping projects to "Know What's Below" and call the DIGGER Hotline at 312-744-7000 at least 48 hours before digging to prevent unnecessary damage to underground facilities. Every six minutes an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811.

When calling 312-744-7000 or 811, homeowners and contractors are connected to DIGGER Utility Alert Network which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Professional locators are then sent to the requested digging site to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, spray paint or both.

Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to DIGGER. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, planting a tree and laying a patio are all examples of digging projects that need a call to DIGGER before starting.

"On August 11 and throughout the year, we remind homeowners and professional contractors to call 312-744-7000 before digging to eliminate the risk of striking an underground utility line," said Lori Flores Rolfson, vice president – operations and maintenance, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas. "It really is the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area."

The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Utility lines need to be properly marked because even when digging only a few inches, the risk of striking an underground utility line still exists.

Peoples Gas has approximately 4,000 miles of underground distribution and transportation natural gas pipeline in the City of Chicago. City of Chicago residents should call 811 or 312-744-7000 in advance to "Know What's Below" so you can start your summer projects safely.

Visit www.call811.com or www.peoplesgasdelivery.com for more information about 811 and safe digging practices.

About Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas 
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas are both subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group WEC and regulated natural gas delivery companies. Peoples Gas serves approximately 830,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the city of Chicago. North Shore Gas serves approximately 159,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in 54 communities within the northern suburbs of Chicago. For more information about natural gas safety, energy efficiency and other energy-related topics, visit www.northshoregasdelivery.com or www.peoplesgasdelivery.com

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SOURCE Peoples Gas; North Shore Gas