AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Gas Service is teaming up with the Austin Fire Department, Central Texas Damage Prevention Council, Texas811, Atmos Energy, and Si-Energy for a live demonstration showing what happens when a contractor hits a natural gas line.

On October 21, 2015, Texas Gas Service crews will use a backhoe to hit a polyethylene natural gas line, pressurized by air for safety.

The goal of the simulation is to promote safe digging practices such as calling 811 two business days before digging and to demonstrate how to dig around a natural gas line safely by respecting the tolerance zone, or the area immediately surrounding the line.

With the growth in Austin and surrounding areas, the need is greater than ever to call 811 before you dig – whether you are only planting a small tree in your yard or excavating a large construction site.

There is a closed morning session for emergency responders and TxDOT employees from 9 – 11 am. The second event is open to the public from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. (Media is invited to attend either session).

The simulation will be held at TxDOT south location at 9725 South IH-35, Austin, TX 78744. It is located on the east side of IH-35 across from Southpark Meadows. Take Brandt Road before the Chuck E Cheese on the frontage road and follow the signage.

 

Texas Gas Service provides safe, clean and reliable natural gas to more than 640,000 customers in Texas.  It is a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a natural gas distribution company and the successor to the company founded in 1906 as Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, which became ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) in 1980, a diversified energy company that today is the general partner of ONEOK Partners, L.P. (NYSE: OKS).

ONE Gas provides natural gas distribution services to more than 2 million customers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. ONE Gas is one of the largest publicly traded, 100 percent regulated, natural gas utilities in the United States. 

ONE Gas trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS,” and is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index.

For more information, visit the websites at www.texasgasservice.com or www.onegas.com.

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