CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., April 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Warmer temperatures have finally arrived and before customers spring into outdoor home projects, Chattanooga Gas is reminding communities to "Call Before You Dig" in honor of Safe Digging Month this April.  

Chattanooga Gas encourages customers to dial 811 to have underground utility lines marked before any digging project. This includes fence installation, paving projects, or installing a pool. It also applies to professional excavators 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, Chattanooga Gas offers the following safe digging guidelines:

• Contact 811 Before You Dig: Before starting an outdoor digging project, contact Tennessee 811 request having underground utility lines 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 Chattanooga Gas 24-hour emergency phone line at 1- 866-643-4170 from a safe location.

Chattanooga 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.

Chattanooga Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Chattanooga Gas provides retail natural gas sales and transportation services to approximately 68,000 customers in Hamilton and Bradley counties in southeast Tennessee. The Chattanooga Gas service area includes the communities of Chattanooga, Cleveland, Red Bank, East Ridge, Lookout Mountain and Signal Mountain. For more information, visit chattanoogagas.com.

Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America's premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.3 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with approximately 666,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

SOURCE Chattanooga Gas