On 811 Day, Atlanta Gas Light reminds the community to contact Georgia 811 before they dig

ATLANTA - August 9, 2024 - Summer months are prime outdoor project season! In recognition of National 811 Day on Aug. 11, Atlanta Gas Light reminds residents and professional excavators to contact Georgia 811 before beginning any digging project to prevent damage to underground utilities.

"The safety of our team members, customers and the community is at the center of everything we do at Atlanta Gas Light," said Pedro Cherry, president and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light. "Knowing the location of underground utilities before you dig is crucial to preventing serious injuries, service interruptions and costly repairs. We strongly encourage everyone to contact Georgia 811. It's free service that helps keep our families and communities safe."

Contacting Georgia 811 before digging is the easiest way to avoid damaging buried utilities. However, in a national survey conducted by the Common Ground Alliance, 26.9 million homeowners planning do-it-yourself digging projects will not contact 811, putting themselves and their communities at risk of utility service disruptions, costly fines and repairs.

Atlanta Gas Light encourages homeowners and contractors to follow these safe digging guidelines and always dig with CARE:

• Call or Click Before You Dig: Before starting any outdoor digging project, customers should call 811 or visit Georgia 811 at least three days in advance to request to have underground utility lines marked. Requests can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is free.
• Allow the Required Time for Marking: After contacting Georgia 811, wait for underground utility lines to be marked before digging (approximately three-working days). Locators will mark the approximate location of buried lines with color-coded spray paint, flags or stakes corresponding to the utility. The color used for natural gas is yellow.
• Respect the Marks: Only use hand-digging tools when digging near the location markers. This will help avoid any potential damage to your underground lines.
• Excavate Carefully: Make sure the marks remain visible during the project. If the lines or flags are damaged or removed, customers are encouraged to contact Georgia 811 to have the lines remarked.

If a natural gas line is damaged accidentally or the distinctive rotten-egg odor associated when natural gas is present, call 911 or the Atlanta Gas Light 24-hour emergency phone line at 1-877.427.4321 from a safe location. Do not operate any machinery or equipment that might cause a spark or create an open flame.

For more information about Atlanta Gas Light, log on to our website or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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About Atlanta Gas Light
Atlanta Gas Light is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Atlanta Gas Light provides natural gas delivery service to approximately 1.7 million customers in Georgia. In operation since 1856, the company is one of the oldest corporations in the state. For more information, visit atlantagaslight.com.

About Southern Company Gas
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 4.4 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with more than 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

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Alicia Young
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