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Call before digging

Springtime marks the unofficial start of gardening season across British Columbia.

Springtime marks the unofficial start of gardening season across British Columbia. It’s also traditionally the time of year when utilities such as FortisBC see a spike in the number of calls to repair damage to its underground natural gas pipes.

Last year, 563 Salmon Arm residents called BC One Call, but there were still 16 pipeline damages.

According to FortisBC, 99 per cent of the damage to its natural gas system is caused by third parties such as construction crews, contractors and homeowners. Even the smallest damage could require thousands of dollars of repair work and shut down service to other customers in the area.

Before you put your shovel into the ground, FortisBC encourages homeowners to call BC One Call at 1-800-474-6886 or visit bconecall.bc.ca