Public Awareness
Natural gas,America’s most popular home heating fuel, is increasingly popular for use by homeowners, schools, businesses, factories and electric power-generation plants because it is efficient, clean, reliable and a relative bargain compared to alternative energy sources.
In our community, City of Thomson Natural Gas Department provides natural gas to more than 3200 customers through a network of underground distribution lines. Main gas lines, typically 2-inch in diameter, branch into household service lines which are typically half-inch to three-quarter-inch in diameter and buried 12- to 18-inches below the surface.
To protect you and others in the community; federal and state government, along with your utility provider have made your safety a high priority. Any time you dig or move earth in any way, you are required to “Call Before You Dig 48 hours before beginning any digging. When you call Georgia 811, they will contact utility owners who will locate all buried utility lines on your property, so you can safely dig and prevent a potentially hazardous condition. Failure to use the 811 system is a known cause of pipeline accidents. Calling before you dig can prevent a costly or even deadly mistake.
Natural gas is a colorless, odorless gas; however, a chemical that smells like rotten eggs is added to help detect a possible leak. Some of the signs of a gas leak include seeing bubbling water, hearing a hissing or blowing sound from a pipeline or appliance, dead or discolored vegetation in an otherwise green area, or dirt or dust blowing from the ground, or the smell of rotten eggs.
If you smell gas, or just think you might be smelling gas, leave the area immediately and call your local gas provider at 706 595 1781 or 911 from a neighboring home or business. Never turn on or off switches or use a flashlight or phone in the presence of the gas smell, because an electric spark could ignite the gas, causing an explosion.
Do your part to familiarize yourself and your family with these natural gas safety tips and continue to enjoy the value, comfort and benefits ofAmerica’s cleanest, most efficient energy source!
This message is brought to you by The City of Thomson Natural Gas Department as a public service. To learn more about our natural gas service and the benefits of natural gas, call 706 595 1781.
