What does the Gas Leak Map show?
The Gas Leak Map plots all active gas leaks on streets in O&R’s service territory that were either reported by the public or an O&R employee, or were identified during an O&R gas leak patrol. The map shows confirmed leaks that are under repair or that are being monitored outside buildings. O&R crews will make sure conditions remain safe. Gas leaks reported inside buildings are made safe by utility crews or other emergency responders, and permanent repairs are made by building owners.
The map is updated every 24 hours. Blue or green dots identifying leak locations are approximate within each specific street. If you smell gas at any time, whether inside or outside, and whether or not the map shows that a leak has already been reported in your area, leave immediately and take others with you. Don’t light a match or smoke. Don't turn appliances on or off (including flashlights). Don't flip any light switches. Don't use a telephone. Don't start a car. There could be a new or worsening leak, and O&R needs to check it out right away. Once you’re safe, call 1-800-533-LEAK (5325) or 911 immediately.
Why are there more leaks on the map in the winter than in the summer?
We tend to see more gas leaks in the winter due to extensive freezing and thawing of the ground, which can affect our pipes especially during harsh winters. When these leaks are reported, O&R responds quickly, makes the area safe right away, and continues to inspect them as required in accordance with applicable federal and state codes.
We wait to make most of our permanent repairs to those leaks once the weather gets warmer. This is because we may have to turn off gas to fix our pipes, and we do our best to keep the gas on for heating, hot water, and cooking, especially during the winter months. It’s also more difficult to excavate to reach our pipes when the ground is frozen, and winter weather makes it difficult to schedule work. You’ll start to see fewer leaks reported on the map as the weather gets warmer and we catch up on repairs.
What is the difference between a Type 1, 2, and 3 leak?
A type 1 leak, which due to its location and/or relative magnitude constitutes a potential hazard to the public or buildings, is often caused when a contractor damages a pipe. A Type 1 leak requires continuous attention until the leak is made safe, and daily inspection until a permanent repair is completed.
Type 2 and 2A leaks pose no immediate threat to people or property. How often these leaks are inspected depends on where the leak is located, and how much gas is present. Inspection frequency ranges from every two weeks to every two months, and repairs must be made within six months to a year.
A type 3 leak poses no hazard to people or property. A Type 3 leak must be inspected annually to make sure it remains safe, but no repairs are required.
What if the map shows a leak outside my house or business?
If you smell gas inside or outside your home or business, leave immediately. Don’t light a match or smoke. Don't turn appliances on or off (including flashlights). Don't use a telephone. Don't start a car. Once you’re safe, call 1-800-533-LEAK (5325) or 911 immediately. We’ll respond and make sure the area is safe. If you don’t smell gas, you can check our Gas Leak Map to see when the leak was last inspected. Our crews will continue to inspect the leak to make sure the area stays safe.
What should I do if I smell gas?
If you smell gas, leave immediately and take others with you. Don’t light a match or smoke. Don't turn appliances on or off (including flashlights). Don't use a telephone. Don't start a car. Doing so can produce sparks that might cause the gas to explode. Once you’re safe, call 1-800-533-LEAK (5325) or 911 immediately.
If I have a gas leak on my street, is it okay to start my car?
No. If you smell gas outside, get away from the area. Don’t start your car or do anything else that could create a spark. Report the gas odor immediately by calling 1-800-533-LEAK (5325) or 911.
If you don’t smell gas outside, but you see a gas leak in your area reported on the map, we’ve made the area safe and are taking appropriate steps to schedule repairs and/or monitor the status of the gas leak.
Why do gas leaks happen?
Outside Leaks (Street): Outside gas leaks can be caused by pipe corrosion or cracks due to shifting soil underneath the street. This can happen during events like a water main break or extensive storm flooding, or when there is extensive freezing and thawing of the ground (typically during harsh winters). Leaks are also caused when pipelines are accidentally damaged during street excavations. O&R responds to water main breaks, floods, and instances of contractor damage and inspects the pipes and makes the area safe, if needed.
Professional excavators and homeowners planning to dig should always call 811 at least two to ten working days before starting any digging project. Utility companies will mark their underground lines for free, so you know which areas to avoid.
Inside Leaks (Building): Inside gas leaks may be caused by leaky fittings on pipes by corroded or cracked pipes, or by accidental damage to a gas pipe such, as during construction work in a building. Leaks can also be caused by a faulty appliance or connection to the building’s gas pipes. It’s not always easy to determine the source of a gas leak and you shouldn’t investigate it yourself. Our employees are trained and qualified in gas leak investigation, and will respond quickly and make the area safe.
If you report an inside gas leak, it’s important to keep watch for O&R's truck so you can help O&R's mechanics get into your building to assess the problem. If O&R determines that the leak is on your equipment or appliance, you’ll need to call a plumber to make repairs.
If you smell gas, leave immediately and take others with you. Don’t light a match or smoke. Don't turn appliances on or off (including flashlights). Don't use a telephone. Don't start a car. Doing so can produce sparks that might cause the gas to explode. Once you’re safe, call 1-800-533-LEAK (5325) or 911 immediately.
How can I avoid damaging underground gas pipes?
There are over 1,800 miles of underground gas pipelines in O&R's service territory. Damaging a gas pipe while digging during home improvement projects or other excavations can cause a leak. Help O&R protect these pipelines by calling 811 two to ten days before you dig or excavate on public or private property. After you call, your utility companies will mark the approximate location of their lines at no charge to you.
What happens when you call to report a gas odor?
Whether you report the odor of gas to 1-800-533-LEAK (5325) or to 911, O&R will respond and make the area safe. O&R has mechanics available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to leaks, with an average response time of 22 minutes. If you report a gas leak inside your home or business, O&R will come and make it safe. If the problem is on your privately-owned gas piping or equipment, we’ll turn off your gas and you may need to call a plumber to make repairs. O&R will let you know what you need to do when it responds to the leak. O&R will make every effort to isolate the leak and not turn gas off to the entire building, however, O&R's first priority is your safety and the safety of the other residents and your neighbors.
How does O&R make a gas leak safe?
O&R crews investigate every gas leak and will make the area safe by either making a temporary repair with a clamp, or venting the gas to prevent it from becoming combustible.
For a natural gas leak to become dangerous, it generally needs to be in a confined space, like an enclosed room, where the gas and oxygen mixture is at a level where a spark could cause the gas to ignite. Gas leaks in the street evaporate into the outdoor air, unless the gas spreads underground and through cracks in a building foundation. O&R crews check the conditions of all gas leaks and determine which need to be repaired immediately or simply monitored, based on the severity of the leak and proximity to buildings.
In all gas leak situations, the crews will make sure conditions are safe and that they present no public safety hazard. With indoor leaks, crews will turn off the flow of gas until the problem is resolved, either by repairing O&R’s equipment or by a customer’s plumber if the problem is on the customer’s privately-owned equipment, like a stove pipe or boiler.
How often does O&R check for leaks?
O&R inspects its gas mains for leaks annually in urban areas and every three years in more rural areas, as mandated by state and federal guidelines, and conducts a variety of supplemental surveys with mobile leak-detection vehicles. These survey inspections cover all 1,800+ miles of our distribution mains.
How often does O&R inspect leaks once they’re reported?
Leaks indicated on the map by a blue dot (Type 1 or 2 leaks) are inspected, made safe, monitored frequently and repaired as quickly as possible. O&R inspects leaks indicated by a green dot (Type 3 leaks), which don’t present a safety hazard, at least once every year. To check a leak’s last inspection date, visit our Gas Leak Map and move your mouse over the location of the leak.
I found a leak that’s been there a long time. Why?
We prioritize repairs to address leaks marked with a blue dot (Type 1 or 2 leaks), first. You may see a leak marked by a green dot (Type 3 leak) that’s been there for a while. This is because the leak is relatively minor and in a spot where it causes no public safety threat. O&R will continue to inspect these leaks as required by state and federal guidelines to make sure the area is safe. Whenever possible O&R will try to bundle repairs of Type 3 leaks with pipe replacements or other planned work. We’re currently looking for ways to repair more of these leaks more quickly and more efficiently.
O&R says “Smell Gas, Act Fast.” Why doesn't O&R always repair leaks immediately?
O&R wants people to report gas odors immediately so that O&R can respond quickly and make conditions safe. Depending on the severity of the leak, O&R will initiate permanent repairs or continue to inspect the leak, as required under state and federal guidelines.
When will leaks be permanently repaired?
Leaks on the Gas Leak Map marked with a blue dot (Type 1 and 2 leaks), are inspected frequently to make sure the area remains safe. Permanent repairs are made as quickly as possible. Sometimes temporary repairs are made to maintain service until more permanent repairs can be scheduled. Leaks marked with a green dot (Type 3 leaks), don’t pose a threat to public safety. Our crews inspect those leaks to make sure the area stays safe. Because these leaks are often located away from homes or businesses, we prioritize repairs to address Type 1 and 2 leaks first. Type 3 leaks are a source of methane emissions that contribute to global warming, and O&R is working to address these leaks as part of its strategy to address climate change.
A leak may be repaired by placing a clamp over the pipe. This clamp may be a permanent repair, or it may make the leak safe until the section of pipe can be permanently replaced. Because O&R must turn off the gas to make a permanent repair. Because O&R prefers to avoid interrupting customers’ heat, hot water, and cooking gas in the winter months, O&R may wait until spring when gas system demand is lower.
Sometimes O&R prefers to plan to make a repair as part of a larger gas main replacement. The need to secure permits for the replacement before the work can begin may delay the leak repairs.
Although the leak is typically made safe within the first few hours of O&R's initial response, it won’t be removed from the Gas Leak Map until the permanent repair is completed.
What are the environmental impacts of gas leaks?
Although the gas leaks shown on the Gas Leak Map poses no safety threat, we’re concerned about these leaks and their impact on the environment. The primary ingredient in natural gas is methane, and methane is considered a significant greenhouse gas. We’ve been working to reduce methane emissions from our natural gas distribution system by repairing leaks and replacing gas mains throughout our service territory. We’ve seen a 27.5-percent reduction in methane emissions since 2005. We’re also engaged in studies with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and other experts to improve methods for quantifying methane emissions from gas leaks and prioritize repairs with the goal of accelerating the pace of methane emission reductions on our system.
What is O&R doing to keep the gas infrastructure up to date?
Since 2004, O&R has replaced over 180 miles of leak-prone main at a cost of $122 million. Starting in 2016, O&R will be increasing the rate of main replacement, and by 2018 O&R will have replaced an additional 65 miles of main.
|
