JACKSON, Mich., Aug. 11, 2025 – Notice a strong rotten egg smell at your home or business? Planning to do some digging in your backyard? On National 811 Day, Consumers Energy is reminding customers of the steps they can take — every day – to make sure everyone stays safe around natural gas in Michigan.

“Consumers Energy is committed to the public’s safety, and we want people to understand the important role they play,” said Holly Bowers, Consumers Energy’s vice president of gas engineering, planning and supply. “People should never hesitate to call for immediate help if they smell natural gas and to contact 8-1-1 if they plan to dig below the surface.”

National 811 Day – named for Aug. 11, or 8-11 – reminds the public to call 8-1-1, a free service, to mark underground pipes and wires before putting a shovel into the ground. State law requires Michigan residents to contact MISS DIG, a free service that will contact utility companies to mark underground lines with stakes, flags or paint.

Read more: How to Dig Safely

Bowers said the day is also a good time to highlight a concern that doesn’t involve planning ahead – what to do when you smell natural gas. While natural gas is colorless, tasteless and odorless on its own, Consumers Energy and other gas providers add a gas called mercaptan to provide that rotten egg smell. That makes it easier to sniff out a potential leak. 

If you do suspect a leak, use the 3Rs – and your 5 senses. 

Recognize 

• Rotten egg smell 
• Blowing or hissing sounds 
• Dying or discolored plants in an otherwise healthy area 
• Dirt or dust blowing from a hole in the ground 
• Bubbling in wet areas 
• Fire, if a gas leak has ignited 

React 

• Get to a safe place outside as soon as possible.
• Don’t start your car or use electronics including light switches, doorbells, garage door openers or your cell phone. Doing so has the potential to ignite gas in the air. Wait to use your cell phone until you are safely outside. 
• Don’t try to locate the source of the leak.
• Don’t try to shut off natural gas valves.
• Don’t go back inside or return to the area until a Consumers employee says it’s safe.

Report 

• Make sure you are in a safe location and call 9-1-1.
• Then call Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. We’ll respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no charge. 

“We at Consumers Energy work to ensure our coworkers and customers are safe every day, but we can’t do that without the help of the people we serve across Michigan,” Bowers said. “We will work with anyone who wants to learn more and understand how they can take steps that protect themselves and everyone around them.”

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. We take seriously our responsibility to provide that gas to millions of customers that need it from us, and that is why we’re making our system stronger, safer and more affordable than ever before.