Can you DIG it?
We bring gas to homes and businesses across Wales and the South West of England. We invest money, time and effort every year to make sure our pipelines are protected, but the biggest danger to our network is you.
That's not meant unkindly. It simply means that third-party excavation – people digging without knowing what's below – is the most common cause of damage to our gas network. This guide is here to make sure that doesn't happen on your project.
It applies to everyone: homeowners doing a garden project, tradespeople on a domestic job, groundworkers and contractors on larger sites. Whatever you're digging, and however small the job, please read this before you start.
Already hit a gas pipe? Act immediately.
If you've caused a gas leak or you suspect one, call us now. Our team is here for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Stop. Think. Check.
Before you pick up a spade or start a machine, take a moment.
Stop.
Think.
Check.
D is for Dial
Digging can be dangerous. Hit a gas pipe and you might cause a gas leak, a fire, or an explosion. So the first thing you must do – long before work starts – is call us.
We'll tell you where our pipes are and what conditions apply. Have your site location and project details ready when you call.
Give us at least 10 working days' notice. Near a medium-, intermediate- or high-pressure main, a site meeting is required first. Call us on 029 2027 8912 or email us at dig@wwutilities.co.uk.
I is for Investigate
It's the only way to stay safe.
Get current plans
Before work begins you must get a copy of our up-to-date gas plans and General Conditions, and keep them with you on site throughout the project.
Use our free online mapping service via LineSearch (LSBUD) to access plans of our gas network. Plans must be printed in colour and must be no older than 28 days from the date of issue.
Understand what the plans show – and what they don't
Our plans show the approximate location of our gas mains and apparatus. Individual service pipes to properties are not shown, but you should always assume they're present. Look for a meter box or above-ground entry point as a sign that a service pipe may be nearby.
Know your exclusion distances
The following types of work are not normally permitted within the distances shown from the established pipe position. Any exception requires our consent before work starts.
You must also consult us before any excavation within 10 metres of above-ground gas installations or pipes, and no excavations can start within 50 metres of a high-pressure pipeline unless its precise route has been confirmed by us.
Planning home improvements?
Our video covers what you need to check before digging for domestic projects – extensions, fencing, landscaping, garden ponds and more.
Our Plant Protection video walks through the full pre-dig process for contractors and groundworkers, including how to read gas plans and what a site meeting involves.
G is for Go ahead
Once you have current gas plans on site, have met all our conditions, and we've agreed your method of working, you can proceed – but carefully.
- Keep up-to-date gas plans accessible throughout the project.
- Use cable- and pipe-locating devices to verify pipe positions before and during excavation.
- Use safe hand-digging techniques near any identified pipe locations.
- Don't lay any new apparatus over and along the line of a gas pipe.
- If backfilling near our apparatus, use soft fill or sand – no stones, bricks, or lumps of concrete – placed to a minimum depth of 150mm around the pipe and well compacted by hand.
Noticed damage to pipe coatings?
Gas pipes are protected by a special wrapping. Unreported coating damage can lead to corrosion and future leakage. If in doubt at any stage, call us again on 029 2027 8912 – we're happy to help.
A note for homeowners
If you're planning an extension, conservatory, new fencing, decking, landscaping, tree planting, or installing a garden pond, your gas supply pipe could run directly below where you're working.
Even if the job seems minor, you must check before you dig. Contact us, use our mapping service, and remember that the service pipe to your property won't appear on our mains plans. Look for a meter box or above-ground entry point as a visual indicator, and call us if you're in any doubt.
Be particularly careful with tree planting near our apparatus – root growth can damage pipes and restrict future maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
We've pulled together answers to the questions we get asked most often. Can't find what you need? Call us on 029 2027 8912.