Colonial Observes ​“Safe Digging Month”

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (April 3, 2014) — Colonial Pipeline, a main source of gasoline and other vital fuels across the Southern and Eastern U.S., is observing April as National Safe Digging Month.

With weather warming up, April is a perfect time to raise awareness of the free service provided when you call 811 before you dig. A quick call will result in utilities in your area marking their underground lines so you can safely dig.

National Safe Digging Month is sponsored nationally by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), an association dedicated to making sure the 811 number is as familiar as the 911 number for emergencies.

According to CGA, an underground utility line is damaged every six minutes because someone began to dig without first calling 811. The depth of utility lines can vary for a number of reasons, such as erosion, previous digging projects and uneven surfaces. Even seemingly small digging projects, such as installing a new mailbox, building a deck or planting a tree, can damage a utility line, causing injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient outages.

Colonial Pipeline operates an underground pipeline system that originates in the Houston, Texas, area and terminates at Linden, N.J., on the New York harbor. Colonial safely delivers more than 100 million gallons a day of gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel, home heating oil and fuels for the U.S. military. 

For more information about Colonial, visit www.colpipe.com. For more information about 811 services, visit www.call811.