April is National Safe Digging Month

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Citizens Energy Group Reminds You to Contact Indiana 811 Before You Dig

INDIANAPOLIS –Indiana’s “Call Before You Dig” law requires anyone who digs, any time of year, to contact Indiana 811 at least two full working days before beginning your project. This includes private property owners and professionals. Contacting Indiana 811 gives utility crews time to mark the locations of underground utility lines on your property with paint or flags. The service is meant to keep you and your family safe, which is why it is provided free of charge.

Installing a mailbox, building a fence, and planting a tree are just a few examples of digging projects that should only begin after you have waited at least two full working days after contacting Indiana 811 and compared the various colors of the marks on your property to the list of utilities given to you. If a utility operator does not locate a utility line in the designated area, a representative will let you know they do not have a conflict either by calling you or painting an “OK” along with the company’s initials in the corresponding utility color.

Citizens Vice President, Energy Operations J.P. Ghio said, “Whether you are a property owner or a professional, contacting Indiana 811 to properly mark utilities before beginning a project is of utmost importance. Striking an underground utility line not only can interrupt service and incur costly fines; it could result in serious personal injury or even loss of life.”

Visit www.indiana811.org for more information or to submit an online locate request.

Additionally, whether or not you are digging, Citizens reminds you that if you smell natural gas, or an odor similar to sulfur or rotten eggs, you should immediately leave the area and use a phone away from the building to call Citizens at 317-924-3311. Failure to report an odor of natural gas could have dangerous consequences.

Click here to learn more about natural gas safety.

About Citizens Energy Group
Citizens Energy Group provides safe and reliable utility services to about 900,000 people in the Indianapolis area. Citizens operates its utilities for the benefit of customers and the community.

Media Contact Information
Laura O'Brien
Phone: 317-519-1515
Email: media@citizensenergygroup.com