UIL Observes National Safe Digging Month

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- For many homeowners, the end of the long, cold winter is the perfect time to head outdoors and get a start on home-improvement and gardening projects.

But whether you’re planting a garden or building a deck, it’s important to know what’s below by dialing 811 before you get started.

April is National Safe Digging Month. UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UIL) and its utilities — The United Illuminating Company, The Southern Connecticut Gas Company, Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation and The Berkshire Gas Company — remind customers to dial 811 before digging so utilities can mark out underground utility pipes and lines.

“While National Safe Digging month starts April 1, safety is no April fool’s joke,” said Robert Allessio, senior vice president of Connecticut gas operations for UIL Holdings. “Digging without knowing where underground utilities are located increases the risk of unintentional damages, which can result in serious injuries, service disruptions or even unanticipated costs.”

A 2013 survey by the Common Ground Alliance found that about half of homeowners who plan digging projects neglect to dial 811 before they get started, potentially putting themselves and others at risk.

In Connecticut, anyone planning a project that requires digging must dial 811 to reach Call Before You Dig at least two full business days before getting started. In Massachusetts, the 811 call to DigSafe should be made three business days before starting work, as required by law. After the call, utility representatives will visit the property to mark out underground pipes, lines and cables. Property owners should make sure contractors dial 811, too.

The Southern Connecticut Gas Company and Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation each perform approximately 45,000 mark-outs in Connecticut on an annual basis, while The United Illuminating Company performs approximately 35,000. The Berkshire Gas Company performs nearly 10,000 mark-outs annually in its territory in Massachusetts.

• For more information about National Safe Digging Month and other timely topics, “like” our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/uilholdings, follow our Twitter feeds, @UILHoldings and @UnitedIllum, and visit us on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/UILHoldings.

About UIL Holdings Corporation:

Headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut, UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE:UIL) is a diversified energy delivery company serving more than 725,000 electric and natural gas utility customers in 67 communities across two states, with combined total assets of over $5 billion.

UIL is the parent company of The United Illuminating Company (UI), The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG), Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation (CNG), and The Berkshire Gas Company, each more than 100 years old. UI provides for the transmission and delivery of electricity and other energy related services for Connecticut’s Greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas. SCG and CNG are natural gas distribution companies that serve customers in Connecticut, while Berkshire Gas serves natural gas customers in western Massachusetts. UIL employs more than 1,900 people in the New England region.

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