More British Columbians are calling before they dig, which has led to a decrease in the number of incidents of damaged underground gas lines.
However, in 2023 FortisBC still saw 844 instances of damage to underground gas lines, and nearly 70 per cent of these incidents involved work that was performed without contacting BC 1 Call, a free service offered to the general public and to contractors. A simple click or one phone call is all it takes to request a locate ticket, meaning that FortisBC will notify those of its 363 utility-owning members that have assets within the proposed dig site. In addition to gas lines, these could include water and sewage lines or electricity and telecommunication services.
Within three business days of making the request, BC 1 Call will reply with instructions on how to avoid damaging underground infrastructure when you dig. This reduces the risk of injury, avoids interruption of essential services, and prevents costly repairs.
In 2023, the region with the highest percentage of line strikes was Metro Vancouver at 327 (38.7 per cent), followed by Thompson Okanagan at 183 (21.6 per cent) and Vancouver Island at 132 (15.6 per cent). For individual municipalities, the City of Surrey reported 64 damages (7.5 per cent) in 2023, making it the city with the highest number of incidents, followed by the City of Vancouver with 58 (6.8 per cent), Kelowna with 41 (4.8 per cent), Burnaby with 38 (4.5 per cent), and North Vancouver with 33 (3.9 per cent).
April is not only Safe Digging Month, it’s also a time when people are beginning spring gardening and planning home and yard renovations. People often make the mistake of assuming that utility lines are always buried several feet underground, when in fact some lines are buried less than 12 inches from the surface. They might once have been buried much deeper, but many underground lines have been there for decades, and over time the soil above them might have been removed, by erosion, flooding, or previous landscaping/construction projects.
FortisBC cautions that you don’t have to be doing major work in order to damage an underground line; even basic gardening activities, such as planting trees or digging a garden bed, can lead to trouble if you don’t know what’s under the ground and where it is. Other common home improvement projects that may cause damage to underground infrastructure include installing posts for fences, mailboxes, realtor signs, welcome signs, etc.; building decks, retaining walls, and patios and installing fire pits; anchoring playground equipment; and installing underground water systems.
That said, nearly 75 per cent of damages to gas lines across the province are caused by contractors. Those contractors who dig with equipment or machinery are required to first dig by hand in order to expose any buried utility lines.
“Though the number of registered BC 1 Call users continues to climb each year, there are many contractors, landscapers, and homeowners who still aren’t aware of safe digging practices, which is why we are continuing to see damage,” said Chris Hyland, president and CEO of BC 1 Call.
“As April is Safe Digging Month in B.C., we are encouraging all British Columbians to learn how to dig safely before disturbing the ground, confirm their landscapers and outdoor DIY project contractors will be using BC 1 Call, and spread the word about safe digging.”
If you smell rotten eggs or hear the sound of escaping gas, stop what you’re doing, go outside, and dial 9-1-1 or call FortisBC’s 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-663-9911.
FortisBC and BC 1 Call urge all contractors to incorporate safe digging practices into their routines and educate their workers on the importance and convenience of BC 1 Call’s free online platform. For more information on safe digging practices, visit www.fortisbc.com/digsafe. To request a locate ticket, or learn more about BC 1 Call, visit www.bc1c.ca or call 1-800-474-6886.