Spire recognizes communities for safe digging 

The Silver Shovel award encourages safe excavation near Spire’s facilities

ST. LOUIS (June 7, 2021) – Spire is recognizing 16 cities in their Missouri service areas this summer with the Silver Shovel award, which acknowledges safe digging practices and the prevention of pipeline damage during construction near Spire’s facilities.

To be awarded, a municipality must be located within Spire’s service territory, a member in good standing of Missouri One Call and have no at-fault damages to Spire’s facilities in 2020. That is no small feat. In 2020, Spire’s gas lines were damaged 1,478 times across Missouri.

This year’s Silver Shovel awardees are the municipal public works departments in the cities of:

•    Ballwin
•    Belton
•    Clayton
•    Festus 
•    Grandview
•    Kirkwood
•    Lamar
•    Liberty
•    Monett
•    Nixa 
•    Monett
•    Neosho
•    Poplar Bluff
•    St. Louis Forestry 
•    Sullivan
•    University City

Spire’s Damage Prevention and Right of Way teams created the Silver Shovel award in 2019 to encourage municipalities in the company’s service territories to work more safely.  

“At Spire, safety is a value –an important part of who we are and at the core of everything we do,” said Alan Meyer, Spire damage prevention manager.  “The Silver Shovel Award is our way of thanking communities for prioritizing safety, too. This year’s awardees have gone above and beyond to observe safe digging practices that help protect people, pipelines and the environment.”  

Meyer said damage prevention is crucial to ensuring that customers maintain access to the energy they need. That’s why Spire’s Damage Prevention department offers safe digging training and resources to third-party contractors and municipalities on projects where pipes or other facilities may need to be avoided.

“We try to do our part to make sure those interested in safe digging have the resources and support they need, because even when individuals are careful, accidents can still happen,” said Meyer. “The fact that these communities went an entire year without one incident is remarkable, and we are proud to recognize each one for this accomplishment.”