ENERGY NEWS – APRIL 2025
DIGGERS HOTLINE 8-1-1
Safe digging starts with knowing what’s below. No matter how large or small the project or how deep you’re digging, underground lines pose a threat to your safety. At least three working days before you begin any project that involves digging, contact Diggers Hotline to have the underground lines in the work area located. Filing a locate request is free and it’s the law. Representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by dialing 811 or 800-242-8511. Be prepared to file the locate request by having the following information available prior to making the call. 1) Your name and contact information. 2) The city, township, or village you are planning to work in. 3) The street address and road where your work site is located. 4) The nearest intersecting road and the distance to that road. 5) The kind of work you are doing, such as planting a tree or putting up a fence. 6) Whether any explosives, boring equipment or equipment that reaches 14 feet into the air or higher will be used. 7) The date you plan to start your work. 8) The area you would like to have marked for underground facilities on the property. [For example: a 20-foot radius of the tree in the back yard or a 10-foot perimeter of the staked area west of the garage.] After submitting your locate request with Diggers Hotline the underground lines in the area of your worksite will be marked by the service owners with colored paint and flags. Each color indicates a different type of service. For example, yellow identifies natural gas lines and red identifies electric service. These marks allow you to know approximately where the lines are buried and will help you to avoid hitting them while digging. Before you begin yard projects make sure to notify Diggers Hotline. By doing so you can avoid damaging buried lines, which means your project can be completed safely and without additional costs. For more information visit www.diggershotline.com or contact Florence Utilities at 715-528-3330.
HYDRANT FLUSHING
Florence Utilities will be flushing water mains in the Town of Florence and Commonwealth on Thursday, May 15, 2025 from 10:00 pm to Friday, May 16, 2025 at 7:00 a.m. During this period, you may experience fluctuating water pressure and water may be discolored. We recommend you avoid washing clothes during this time. If you do, please check your water for discoloration prior to washing any clothes.
Hydrant flushing scrubs the distribution system and it may temporarily result in discolored or rusty water. This means the hydrant flushing is working.
Semi-annually our staff opens fire hydrant valves to allow water to flow through the pipes. Systematically opening the hydrants enhances water quality by flushing sediment from the main pipelines, verifies the proper operation of hydrants and valves, and ensures that the hydrant is operational in an emergency.
The flushing route is carefully planned to control the direction of water. When a hydrant is opened, there may be a temporary episode of discolored water while fine sediment particles are flushed from the system. There are no health hazards associated with the discolored water. If you see discolored water, run the cold water for a few minutes allowing new water to work its way into your pipes. Thank you for your patience. If you experience any problems with water quality or pressure after a hydrant flushing, please contact Florence Utilities at 715-528-3330.
DOWNED POWER LINES
With Spring comes the onset of thunderstorms and tornado season. This type of severe weather may result in downed power lines and power outages. Downed power lines can carry an electric current strong enough to cause serious injury or possibly death. If you see a downed power line, move away from the line and anything touching it. Do not attempt to move a downed power line or anything in contact with the line. Be careful not to put your feet near water where a downed power line is located; and do not drive over downed lines.
If you observe a downed line or are experiencing a power outage, do not assume that a neighbor or passerby has called it in. Immediately contact Florence Utilities at 715-528-3330.
CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY
Florence Utilities goal has always been to deliver natural gas to all of our customers as safely and efficiently as possible. At the same time, we want you the customer, to understand your responsibilities with regard to maintaining a gas delivery system that is safe and free from corrosion or leaks.
The utility inspects and maintains the gas piping that runs underground from the main to your gas meter. If you are a property owner, property manager, tenant and/or occupant, you are responsible for maintaining all gas lines on your side of the meter. You, as a customer are responsible for the inspection and maintenance of all interior and exterior gas piping, including buried pipe that runs from the meter to individual appliances, as well as to other buildings beyond your meter connection (customer piping). The utility does not inspect or maintain customer piping, including any buried piping. Please contact us if you are unsure or unable to perform those tasks, or encounter problems you are unable to resolve safely.
Most customer piping is interior gas piping, which is not ordinarily susceptible to corrosion but could be under abnormal conditions such as high moisture, or corrosive atmosphere or agents. If you have underground gas pipelines on your property beyond your meter, such as buried pipe to another building or structure with a gas appliance, or an outdoor gas grill, these lines should be periodically inspected for corrosion and / or leakage by a properly trained technician, as those conditions commonly lead to corrosion. If an unsafe condition is found, it should be repaired promptly. If you have any questions regarding customer responsibility of gas delivery equipment, please call us at 715-528-3330. Visit www.florenceutilitieswi.com for more information regarding natural gas safety.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY MONTH
May is National Electrical Safety Month and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is launching its annual effort to help reduce electrically-related fatalities, injuries, and property loss. Many electrocutions and home fires can be prevented simply by understanding basic electrical safety principles and adhering to safe practices. ESFI has developed a number of resources to help educate homeowners, consumers, older adults, and children.
Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, electrical safety should be a top priority in your home. Awareness of electrical hazards is the key to reducing the staggering number of electrically-related home fires, injuries and deaths that occur every year.
Visit www.esfi.org to obtain information and resources to help you gain a better understanding of how to use electricity and electrical products safely.