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Protecting Our Communities with Your Help
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For gas emergencies call 911 and 210‑353‑HELP (4357)
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Protecting Our Communities with Your Help
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CPS Energy’s pipelines provide natural gas safely and reliably to more than 340,000 customers in and around San Antonio. We’ve been a trusted safety partner for over 75 years, and we’re proud of our many initiatives to protect you and your community:
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We continually test, inspect, repair and improve our pipelines and monitor them 24/7 for potential natural gas leaks.
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We work with emergency responders to train and prepare them to respond to natural gas emergencies.
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We educate excavators and the public about digging safely near gas pipelines, and we provide gas safety education programs to local schools.
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We identify and manage risks to our pipelines, especially those in high-consequence areas.
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We have an Integrity Management Program (IMP), in accordance with rules established by the U.S. Department of Transportation and state regulatory agencies, to improve the safety of our high-pressure transmission pipelines.
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Despite our efforts, natural gas leaks may occur that could lead to fires or explosions. We need everyone’s help to prevent pipeline damage and reduce the risk of dangerous leaks.
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Dig Safely to Protect Your Community
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If you have a project that involves digging, be sure to first call 811 to locate natural gas pipelines and other utility lines at no cost to you. You must allow at least two full business days (excluding weekends and legal holidays) for a team to come to your property and mark utility lines before you start digging. It’s the law!
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Special digging rules apply within the “tolerance zone,” which is 18 inches on each side of a utility line, plus half the diameter of the line measured from the edge of the line. If you must dig within this zone, hand dig only using non-mechanized tools or equipment, soft digging or vacuum excavation.
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Call CPS Energy at 210-353-HELP (4357) if you make ANY contact with a natural gas line, even if you just nick the pipeline or damage its coating. If gas is escaping, federal code requires that you call 911 as well. Remember to also notify 811 within one hour of contacting a natural gas line, even if no gas is released.
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Locate Major Pipelines Near You
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Look for pipeline markers at road crossings, fence lines and street intersections. These high-visibility markers indicate the general location of our natural gas transmission pipelines and some distribution lines. If you suspect a natural gas leak or any suspicious activity near a pipeline marker, immediately call the 24-hour emergency phone number listed on the marker.
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Natural gas pipeline markers are placed near pipelines but not necessarily directly on top of them. Never use these markers or maps as a substitute for calling 811 to have all utility lines in your dig area located and marked.
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You can also find high-pressure transmission pipelines and the name(s) of the pipeline operator(s) near you through the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) at www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov.
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Gas Leaks: Recognize, React, Report
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1. RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF A GAS LEAK:
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Smell – A distinctive, sulfur-like odor. Not all gas is odorized, so do not rely on your nose alone to detect a leak.
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Sight – Continuous bubbling in water outdoors, dirt spraying or blowing into the air, or dead/dying vegetation in an otherwise moist area. Gas pipelines exposed by earthquakes, fires or floods may also be a source of leaks.
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Sound – Hissing, roaring or whistling noises coming from the ground or gas equipment.
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REACT IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SUSPECT A LEAK.
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Assume there’s a danger. Warn others and leave the area quickly. Do NOT light a match or use electrical appliances, including light switches, garage door openers, doorbells, radios, TVs or any phone. These items can ignite natural gas.
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3. REPORT THE LEAK TO 911 AND CPS ENERGY.
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From a safe location, call CPS Energy’s gas emergency number at 210-353-HELP (4357) and dial 911. Do NOT assume someone else will report the leak. Stay far away from the leak area until our personnel say it is safe to return.
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Carbon Monoxide (CO) Cannot Be Seen or Smelled
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CO is produced by exhaust from improperly maintained or incorrectly vented natural gas-fueled appliances. Exposure symptoms include severe headache or nausea, fatigue, dizziness or feeling faint. If you or someone in your home has these symptoms:
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Get out of your home immediately.
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Call the fire department at 911.
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Call CPS Energy at 210-353-HELP (4357).
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Learn More
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For additional safety information concerning Public Awareness and Damage Prevention, please visit cpsenergy.com/safety. You may also obtain additional information through the following organizations:
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