Community Utility Company
Call Us at 507-378-2121

Services

COMMUNITY  UTILITY COMPANY, INC.

116 EAST MAIN ST.        P.O. BOX 37

RACINE, MINNESOTA

PHONE: (507) 378-2121  FAX: (507)378-2131

 

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG….IT’S THE LAW!!

 

     UNDER STATE LAW,YOU MUST CALL GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL BEFORE YOU DIG WITH POWER EQUIPMENT OR ARE GOING TO BLAST.

     THE CALL WILL INSURE THAT YOU DON’T DIG INTO UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC LINES, TELEPHONE OR TELEVISION CABLES, WATER OR SEWER LINES OR A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.  DIGGING IN THE WRONG PLACE CAN BE A DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE MISTAKE.

     GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL NEEDS TO KNOW THE PRECISE LOCATION OF THE DIG.  THEY HAVE THE DATA BASE OF ALL ITS MEMBERS, SO THE PERSON ANSWERING YOUR CALL WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU QUICKLY WHO MIGHT HAVE FACILITIES NEAR YOUR DIG SITE.  THE OPERATOR ANSWERING YOUR CALL WILL ASSIGN YOU A TICKET NUMBER WHICH HELPS TRACK  THE REQUEST AND WILL ASK YOU A SERIES OF QUESTIONS:  WHEN WILL THE WORK BEGIN? WHAT TYPE OF JOB IS IT? WHERE IS IT – COUNTY, CITY, ADDRESS, NEAREST INTERSECTION?   DECIDE WHERE YOU NEED TO DIG AND MARK THE SPOT WITH A WHITE STAKE.  IF YOU ARE DIGGING IN A RESIDENTIAL LAWN, THE PIPES AND CABLES BENEATH IT ARE MOST LIKELY UTILITY CONDUITS AND IN AN EASEMENT.

     ALL UNDERGROUND LINES BELONGING TO UTILITIES WILL BE LOCATED AND MARKED AT NO COST TO YOU.  GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL WILL NOTIFY THE COMPANIES, EACH OF WHICH WILL SEND OUT A LOCATOR TO MARK ITS OWN FACILITY WITHIN 48 HOURS OF NOTIFICATION.    IF AFTER 48 HOURS YOUR WHITE MARKER IS THE ONLY ONE THERE, DON’T RUSH OUT AND DIG!!  CALL ONE- CALL AGAIN TO BE SURE.

     HOMEOWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCATING ALL PRIVATELY OWNED UNDERGROUND LINES WHICH MAY INCLUDE UNDERGROUND ELECTRICITY WIRES OR GAS LINES THAT GO FROM THE HOUSE TO THE GARAGE OR LINES THAT GO FROM THE GARAGE TO GAS GRILLS, SWIMMING POOL HEATERS, YARD LIGHTING, ETC.  THEY MAY BE ONLY INCHES BELOW THE SURFACE BECAUSE OF LANDSCAPING OR EROSION, SO EVEN SHALLOW DIGGING CAN CUT INTO THEM AND BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

     AT LEAST TWO BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE YOU DIG PHONE 1-800-252-1166 (or 811) GOPHER STATE ONE-CALL TO MAKE A LOCATE REQUEST AND, AFTER YOU’VE MARKED YOUR SPOT, THEY WILL HANDLE THE REST.  REMEMBER, CONTACT WITH UNDERGROUND LINES MAY BE FATAL.  THIS IS WHY IT IS THE LAW TO CALL.

     IF YOU SMELL NATURAL GAS, A SULFUR-LIKE ODOR MUCH THE SAME AS ROTTEN EGGS, LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY AND CALL COMMUNITY UTILITY COMPANY (507) 378-2121 OR 911.

 

** PLEASE KEEP THIS INFORMATION FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.**

COMMUNITY UTILITY CO., INC.PO BOX #37

116 EAST MAIN

RACINE, MN   55967

(507) 378-2121 (24 HR EMERGENCY)

(507) 378-2131 (FAX)

 

      IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECENT FEDERAL REGULATIONS,  YOU MAY REQUEST THAT COMMUNITY UTILITY CO., INC. INSTALL AN EXCESS FLOW VALVE (EFV) ON YOUR EXISTING GAS SERVICE LINE.  AN EFV IS A MECHANICAL SAFETY DEVICE INSTALLED INSIDE A GAS SERVICE LINE  BETWEEN THE GAS MAIN AND THE GAS METER. 

      ALTHOUGH AN EFV IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE NORMAL, SAFE OPERATION OF YOUR GAS SERVICE LINE, AN EFV COULD HELP MITIGATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF A SERVICE LINE BREAK BY RESTRICTING OR STOPPING THE GAS FLOW.

      AN EFV IS DESIGNED TO SHUT OFF THE FLOW OF NATURAL GAS IF A SERVICE LINE IS INADVERTANTLY DUG INTO BY A HOME OWNER OR CONTRACTOR DURING EXCAVATION.  RESTRICTING THE GAS FLOW AFTER A GAS SERVICE LINE IS DAMAGED MAY DECREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AND/OR INJURY.

      INSTALLATION OF AN EFV WILL NOT PROTECT AGAINST LEAKS ON CUSTOMER APPLIANCES OR HOUSE PIPING.  EFVS ALSO DO NOT PROTECT AGAINST LEAKS ON THE SERVICE LINE.           

      THE COST OF INSTALLING THE EFV WILL BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CUSTOMER.  THE AVERAGE INSTALLATION COST IS TYPICALLY $1,500.00, BUT THE ACTUAL COST  WILL DEPEND ON THE DIFFICULTY OF INSTALLATION.  WE WILL INFORM YOU OF THE ACTUAL COST BEFORE YOU MAKE THE FINAL DECISION TO INSTALL AN EFV.  THE INSTALLATION OF AN EFV WILL BE SCHEDULED AT A MUTUALLY AGREEABLE DATE PENDING THE APPROVAL OF ANY REQUIRED PERMITS AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

FOR YOUR SAFETY, ALWAYS CALL 811 TO HAVE GAS LINE AND OTHER BURIED UTILITIES MARKED BEFORE ALLOWING ANYONE TO DIG ON YOUR PROPERTY.

 

ALWAYS CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG!!