Utility emphasizes marking lines before spring digging begins

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Representatives of Missouri's largest private utility company were in Columbia on Thursday to emphasize the importance of checking for underground utility lines before digging.

Someone ruptures a line while digging about every 6 minutes, Ameren Missouri says. And those ruptures could lead to injuries, particularly with electric and gas lines.

Ameren held a demonstration at a home in a southwest Columbia subdivision, showing how marking utility lines works. The demonstration consisted of a worker marking and flagging areas in the yard where people should not dig with a machine that detects underground lines.

Damage prevention public awareness specialist, Ramona Schatzer said you should call Ameren any time you plan to do work on your yard, even if the project seems small.

"Anytime that you're putting any equipment into the ground and you're moving or turning soil, it's considered excavation and so you'll wanna call 811 before that project begins," Schatzer said.

Accidentally hitting a gas line is especially dangerous, as natural gas becomes flammable when it hits the air.

"So you put yourself at risk of having an explosion or ignition so we want to make sure that we are preventing that damage," Schatzer said.

Gas and other utility lines are regularly ruptured by construction work in Columbia. A line was ruptured March 9, leading to the evacuation of the Boone County Government Center and courthouse.

Assistant chief for the Boone County Fire Protection District, Gale Blomenkamp said Boone County Fire responds to gas leaks caused by someone accidentally hitting a gas line while digging at least twice a month. He said if you rupture a gas line it is your responsibility, so making sure you contact Ameren could save you from both stress and money.

"If a gas leak would occur and cause property damage to somebody's home or to somebody themselves, it could get very expensive and very dangerous and obviously nobody wants to deal with that," Blomenkamp said.

The service is free.

People who want to dig should call 811 to have workers mark utility lines first. The visit could take up to three business days after the call. People should not dig within 18 to 24 inches of the markings, Ameren says.