Wash Gas Project - South Side 2017

Note – the Washington Gas Line Project was to have started in later 2016 and was delayed until the Fall of 2017. Please see the answers to the community’s questions below. As you know, we held a community meeting on 10/26/16 with more than 40 residents in attendance. At this point, the questions are specific to individual homeowner properties. As you might imagine, each property is very different. Individual questions are best served at each person’s home when the scheduler approaches the resident to schedule their appointment gas line replacement work. The scheduler will reach out to each homeowner INDIVIDUALLY.

1) Is it really necessary to move the meters from inside to outside?

Gas meters and regulators that are part of the Washington Gas infrastructure are property that is owned by the utility company and as such Washington Gas chooses where they are installed. Meters and regulators are moved outside for a variety of reasons such as ease of access and a reduced impact on the customers for maintenance activities because of their location outside.

2) In some cases, moving the meter from inside to beside the front door is unacceptable and extremely unsightly.

During the replacement activities, meters are moved from inside to directly outside of the home. In some cases, Washington Gas can move that location 1’-2’ along a wall to accommodate a customer’s request with no additional cost to the homeowner. BUT if a customer wishes to have the meter located in another area requiring additional work and cost, the customer would be responsible to cover that additional cost in advance of the work being done. The customer also would be required to request an estimate and be responsible for that expense as well. The meter is not intended to serve as a decorative item but instead serves a very important safety purpose.

3) Restoration of the Landscape

Private property and yards will be restored as close to their original state as possible. Please remember that this project will run through the July/August so we will still be on-site once spring returns and will make additional restoration “repairs” once the weather warms up.

4) Marring of Our Streets

As part of the Department of Permitting of Services (DPS) process, our County permit dictates how we do the restoration. We will follow the County’s specifications in restoring the streets. Once the project concludes, our team will meet with DPS and walk the project ensuring that we follow the County’s specifications in terms of a permanent restoration. In the meantime, temporary patches will be put in place.

5) Is NPL licensed in the State of Maryland?

Northern Pipeline has been serving as a contractor to Washington Gas for more than 20 years and is a licensed contractor in the state of Maryland as well as having a current certificate of liability insurance.

6) Restoration of Finished Basements

This is another reason that supports us moving the meter and regulators outside. Customers must allow us access to our facilities/infrastructure to perform maintenance and other activities. Customers are not supposed to build cabinets or other items around our facilities unless we can access our infrastructure. By moving our equipment outside, it will free-up space inside the customer’s home. Washington Gas’ contractors use skilled carpenters to remove our infrastructure and then put it back to its “as-found” condition. We highly recommend to our contractors (and customers) that they take “before and after” photos to ensure appropriate restoration. If any problems arise during or after the work, please contact the Washington Gas Supervisor, Mike King, as he is the boots on the ground point of contact.

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Wash Gas Project - South Side 2017

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