Underground Pipe Safety
What About Gas Lines Beyond the Meter?
While UGI owns and is responsible for safely maintaining the pipes or lines that run up to the meter, as well as the utility meter itself, the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of all customer-owned piping beyond the meter. If you need assistance in locating, inspecting, or repairing lines, be sure to contact a qualified licensed contractor or UGI.
What is Customer-Owned Pipe?
Customer-owned pipe includes the lines that run from your natural gas meter into your building and to the natural gas appliances or equipment inside your home or business. This includes buried piping, which refers to lines that run below ground between the UGI natural gas meter and your building or your gas-fired equipment. Customer-owned natural gas pipe is part of the building or property and, like plumbing or electrical wiring, it requires periodic attention by the building owner.
For Buried Customer-Owned Piping, Please Be Aware That:
UGI does not maintain your buried natural gas pipe.
If your buried natural gas pipe is not properly maintained, it may be subject to the potential hazards of corrosion and leakage.
Buried gas pipe should be periodically checked for leaks. Leaks can be detected if you smell an odor similar to sulfur or rotten eggs. The odor of natural gas is caused by mercaptan, a harmless chemical added to aid in detection. Leaks can also be identified by physical indications such as a hissing sound, blowing dirt, grass or leaves near a pipeline, water bubbling or blowing into the air at a puddle, pond, creek or river, or flames coming out of the ground or burning above the ground.
If your buried natural gas piping is metallic, it should be periodically checked for corrosion.
If any leak, corrosion, or other unsafe condition is discovered in your buried natural gas pipe, it should be repaired.
When excavating near buried natural gas pipe, the pipe should be located in advance and any excavation should be done by hand. Always call 8-1-1 at least three business days prior to excavating.
Plumbing and heating contractors can assist in locating and repairing your buried pipe.
Plumbers –
Important Safety Message:
A blocked sewer line may be the result of another utility line (i.e. gas, electric, telecommunications, water) that has been bored through the sewer line. Please follow these precautionary measures we have outlined to help prevent accidents.