When home improvement projects increased in 2020, damage to Nicor Gas’ underground infrastructure more than doubled. To help prevent incidents like these, Nicor Gas launched a unique Safe Digging Campaign on National 811 Day in 2022.
Residential customers who contacted Illinois’ one-call center to make a utility locate request during August and September were automatically entered to win one of two $500 gift certificates available each month.
These and many other types of safe digging campaigns were conducted across the country last year by members of the Common Ground Alliance, a member-based association dedicated to the prevention of damage to underground utility infrastructure. CenterPoint Energy, for example, partnered with Kona Ice trucks in select cities across its eight-state territory to deliver frozen treats while reminding patrons to call 811 before digging. And We Energies and North Shore Gas both held local “Ambassadog” competitions that encouraged residents to submit photos of their dogs digging, with the winning dogs to be featured in future safe digging campaigns.
According to Stan Jones, asset protection manager, Nicor Gas’ Safe Digging Campaign resulted in more than awareness. It got results, including a 10% increase in locate ticket requests from July to August, when the campaign launched. Year over year, August 2022 saw a 6% increase in locate requests—the highest volume of requests in a five-year period.
During the same month, damage to the company’s natural gas infrastructure dropped 3.5%. Reduced damages continued during the second month of the awareness campaign, dropping 16% from August to September, with a 10.5% reduction for the month, year over year.
“With a renewed emphasis on excavator engagement and leveraging emerging technologies, Nicor Gas has seen a continued downward trend in the number of annual damages in the last 10 years,” Jones told American Gas. “Last year, residential damages decreased 32% and were down 43% from 2020.”
This is the kind of success CGA is hoping to build on. In early 2023, CGA announced its “50 in 5” challenge. The challenge aims to reduce damages to underground utilities by 50% in five years by bringing damage prevention advocates together around a targeted set of priorities: effective and consistent use of 811, key excavator practices, and accurate and timely utility locating.