Home Improvement Project? Call Before You Dig To Avoid Electrocution

As spring rolls around, many homeowners start projects that require digging on their property. This creates a risk of striking an underground electrical wire, causing injury. Sempra Energy provides this useful reminder about how to conduct such projects safely:

SDG&E is encouraging customers to “call 811 before they dig” to avoid damaging buried natural gas and electric lines when pursuing projects in their yard, such as putting up a new wall or fence, planting or re-working landscaping, putting in a swimming pool, or other yard renovations.

“During the warmer months, many homeowners begin projects which require digging on their property,” said J. Bret Lane, vice president of gas transmission and distribution for SDG&E. “Since gas and some electric lines are located underground and out of sight, we urge homeowners to make a quick phone call to Underground Service Alert to have utilities marked for free. This will help them avoid unnecessary and costly damage, possible injury or service interruption.”

You can get more information about the Call 811 program, a federal program available nationwide, here.