Page 15 - Louisiana 811 2016 Issue 4
P. 15

hen a gas service line Gas service lines are owned by the gas began leaking underground. Atmos

strike occurs in the field, utility and connect the gas main in the had to send out a crew to identity the

its tempting to grab your neighborhood to the gas meter that leak, excavate and properly make the

tool bag, make a quick serves a home or business unlike the repair. Neil said they'd muoh rather be
repair and get back to work; arter all, low pressure gas round inside a home, notir-ted immediately, rather than risk a
the plastic pipe may look similar to gas mains carry much higher pressure, dangerous situation down the road.
3/4" PEX pipe that's commonly used and only specialists working tor the ,, ,

Y _ V11 . Y . lguess they re trying to avoid a charge
tor M ater lines in nzvt omes. utility are allovt ed to make repairs for dmagmg W mm but ‘hat,’ the
but the only tool you should reach tor is A broken gas service line may show last thing we want them to worry

our hone dece tivel low ressuie, Neil said, about. what's more im orlanl? cettin
y P P y g P g P 2:
an wmebody dflmflgm am of mm because most lines include a satety charged tor an excavation or having a
ieature called an Excess Flow valve home explosion and losing lives? we

lines. they should clear the area _

. . that automatically drops the pressure need them to call and have the proper
‘‘“'“““‘'“‘“‘3' "“d ”" 9“ ““d the if a line ru hires The line ma v c'lr re airs made " Neil said

operations supervisor tor Atmos mm? but wmkm my only new Neil also mentioned that workers
Energy ”Tl12 local gas company a kw 'fl 2% m at the dam e me who rail to report damage and make
will come out and make the repair. Embo11:’mi’“Ef‘,Ofkm ‘D mm’; ‘am’! unauthorized repairs typically are
They should not attempt the repair W“ R air TM,‘ 2’ ma“ V dm mm discovered at some point. once the
themselves." . P ’ ‘V ’ ‘ 3 . poorly repaired line begins to leak

in colder. dryer weather, when static and Ammbz W in mm“ mm
Neil said his company is seeing more electricity can build up on the plastic 0“: Excafim akin hm édie we
and more instances or inadequate and pipe and become a source of ignition. ii mum“ V ldmm,_“Ed E in it make;
dangerous field repairs being made ,, . > . ’ ’
. Recently we discovered three taulty sense to toss up in the flzsl place.

“’ 5”’ *"‘°‘ “"2” “Y P'“"“’“’ “““ repairs in iust a iew months " Neil said.

other workers who are not employed ,.,,,“mbm med (0 W Ca ' 1 lim "Just fixing the line yourseli doesn't

or trained by the gas service company, in homfl iml’ now me m':"IfEX " 9 get you off the hook,” Neil said. ”We
leading to very dangerous situations ln Wlmh E4“ be bu“ mg; Home D: ‘:n’ see most of these incidents in new
several cases, the lines were improperly Wm‘ aulhe Mn; “ ‘mks aim“; ‘D construction, where Ihuy'r2 digging
repaired and covered up, and nobody ‘hi gag me my damaged W “,5 ml gas, water and sewer lines. If they hit
called the utility to report the damage ‘hi mm ‘hm ' the line and leave the site, usually we
The lines eventually began to leak ’ ‘ 5‘ can contact the builder and find the
underground at the damage site, "one or the biggest issues is when they responsible party."

"“d‘“5 “’ ““ °‘“°’5““°" "‘“‘“"°“   :23: :f}§‘L‘}}“:‘E;?,“ As always. the saiest bet 7 and the one
"what we are discovering is plumbers ht W ‘D O E“ u i am wime the ,1? required by law 7 is to call 311 betore
are making repairs on the gas line buiy ;‘gme*"‘mg 3‘e’:lm"P ‘he mpg“ you dig, and immediately report any
with a type ot pipe that's not rated tor (WM 0 G en and EN’ 11 “Cal damages to the proper authority And
natural gas and fittings that are not dam P2 ‘*3? ‘fidxbod ma Pmymem in the case of a damaged gas service
approved," Neil said ’’In at least one back‘ E H hazfldousimflfin with line, Neil says don't attempt a repair on
case, pipe rated only ior hot water mum‘ i M“ hm” of “am your own, just let the leak escape to the
was used. Those guys aren't trained to Elmfidt Vé?“ * ’ atmosphere, and leave the repair to the
handle the correct type ot material or " pros. .

with static electricity " At least two ot the bad repairs were

covered up atter they were made and
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2016, out a tousaaa one can . 13




























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