Replacing and upgrading your gas lines
We may be upgrading the natural gas lines in your neighborhood. This work will lead to long-term benefits for you including:
- Enhanced safety features
- Reliability of service for years to come
- Less future maintenance work in your neighborhood
- System support for amenities like fire pits, outdoor grills, pool heaters
See a project in action
View Transcript
There are many different kinds of companies providing services related to natural gas. Here's where we fit in at Columbia Gas. It's our responsibility to deliver natural gas to warm your home, heat your water and cook your food. And to maintain the gas lines used to deliver that gas to your home or business.
In order to deliver natural gas to the many homes, schools, hospitals, stores, business and factories in your community - and across the state - we have thousands of miles of gas lines in our system. These natural gas lines are an essential part of our modern-day infrastructure and, as with other types of infrastructure like roads, damns and bridges, deterioration occurs over time and repairs or replacement are eventually needed. For many natural gas lines, that time is now. The old gas lines installed in your neighborhood generations ago served us well, but they are now ready to be retired.
That's why we launched an ambitious natural gas line replacement program. If we do nothing, the cost to maintain and repair these older gas lines will be higher than the cost to replace them. That wouldn't make sense, so we're taking proactive steps now to reduce costs to customers. Thanks to advancements in technology since those old gas lines were first put into service, we now install specially designed, long-lasting lines more suited for underground use. They contract and expand with shifting temperature and bend to the contour of the earth around them. As a result, these new gas lines will not only last longer, but will also require less maintenance. All of which saves money and allows us to maintain the safe, reliable and efficient natural gas delivery service you currently rely on each day.
As with any infrastructure improvement project, upgrading our natural gas delivery system may result in temporary inconveniences while work is underway. If work is underway in your area, we thank you for your patience and ask you to keep the long-term benefits in mind. You will receive notification through a letter, and either a door hanger or personal visit from a Columbia Gas employee or contractor well before any work on or near your property begins. When you see the flags and paint markings identifying the locations of underground gas lines and other utility lines, it's likely work will begin soon.
We often use innovative line replacement techniques to limit the amount of digging required. When upgrading your service line, we may relocate your gas meter outdoors if it's currently inside your home. Our goal is always to keep any service interruption to a minimum. You'll be notified in advance of any temporary service interruption, which typically lasts only several hours. Care and caution are taken throughout the entire process, ensuring your safety and limiting any inconvenience.
After a natural gas line is replaced, we completely restore the area to its original or better condition. We do our best to coordinate our natural gas replacement work with other infrastructure projects to minimize inconvenience. Public property, like streets and sidewalks, is rebuilt to local government requirements. Restoration may include new sidewalks, freshly paved roads and Americans with Disabilities Act compliant curbs, depending on the location of the project and local ordinances.
At Columbia Gas, we see our natural gas line replacement program as an investment in the communities we serve. The upgrades we're doing now are part of our ongoing commitment to reliably deliver your natural gas, safely and efficiently, for generations to come.
Find a project near you
Projects are planned across our state. To learn more about key projects in your area, click on the areas below.
Chesapeake
Project name: East Point Drive
Start date: mid March 2019
Street affected: East Point Drive (2800 block)
Colonial Heights
Project name: Lakeview Avenue
Start date: early to mid September 2018
Street affected: Lakeview Avenue (100-300 blocks)
Hopewell
Project name: Day Street
Start date: early February 2019
Street affected: Day Street (1600, 2100 and 3000 blocks)
Project name: South Mesa Street
Start date: late February 2019
Streets affected: South Mesa Drive (100 - 400 blocks), Court Drive (300 block) and Sunset Circle (300 block)
Lynchburg
Project name: VES
Start date: mid March 2019
Streets affected: Ves Road (400 block), Fillmore Street (1600 block), Old One Sixty Lane (200 block)
Manassas
Project name: Main Street
Start date: early February 2019
Streets affected: Main Street and Battle Street
Portsmouth
Project name: Argyle Street
Start date: January 2019
Streets affected: Argyle Street (900 block) and Peach Street (2600 block)
Project name: Sterling Point
Start date: early to mid September 2018
Streets affected: Sterling Point Drive (2500 - 2800 blocks), Fable Avenue (5000 block), Moonlit Avenue (5100 block), Bidgood Drive (2400 block) and Lake Circle (5000 - 5200 blocks)
Waynesboro
Project name: 7th Street
Start date:
Streets affected: N. Commerce Avenue (200 - 400 blocks) and N. Delphine Avenue (200 - 300 blocks)
Project name: Locust Avenue
Start date:
Street affected: Locust Avenue (600 - 700 blocks)
Project name: Broad St
Start date:
Street affected: Broad St (1200-1400 blocks)
Project name: Jefferson Ave
Start date:
Street affected: Jefferson Ave (1000-1100 blocks)
Get answers
Here are frequently asked questions we receive about
I'm not a customer; will my home or business be affected?
If you receive communication from us about a project in your area, your home or business may be impacted by construction activity in your area.
Thank you for your response.
How do I know everything will be restored to its existing condition?
At the start of the project, we document your property’s current state. We may even capture photos or video footage.
Thank you for your response.
Will you block my street or driveway?
We may temporarily block access to an entire street, lane or even a driveway. If you need access to your driveway, let our crews know. When it is safe to do so, they will accommodate your request. Most of our digging will be in the grassy part of the public right-of-way and yards, but often our equipment is in the street while we are working. We will work with neighborhoods to minimize road closures and blockages, but please be alert and use caution around our work zones.
Thank you for your response.
What if I smell gas while you're working?
Take action immediately. Natural gas has a rotten egg odor that alerts you to a leak. If you smell an odor of gas: Leave the area immediately. Don’t turn lights or electronics off or on, or operate any other switches. Call 911 and 1-800-544-5606 from a safe location. If our crews are working in the area, you also may contact the on-site project supervisor after you have called 1-800-544-5606.
Thank you for your response.
Will I have to pay extra for this project?
No, you won’t have to pay specifically for this improvement project in your neighborhood. The cost of building, maintaining and upgrading our gas line system is shared by all customers and is already a part of the monthly bill you pay.
Thank you for your response.
When and how long will my gas be turned off?
Your gas service will be temporarily turned off when we come to work on your meter. If your meter is already outside, your gas service may still be turned off when we connect your service line to the gas main line. This outage will be brief, usually between 2–4 hours. Once we’re done, we will need to get back inside your home or business so we can perform a safety check of your natural gas appliances and inside gas lines, turn on your gas and relight your appliances. Note: Someone 18 years or older must be at your home or business and pets must be secured when we’re there to work on your meter and turn your gas back on.
Thank you for your response.
What if I live in a historical district?
We will coordinate with local historic preservation officials to ensure that our work complies with local guidelines, restrictions and permitting requirements.
Thank you for your response.
Why are you working on natural gas lines in my neighborhood?
This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure safe, reliable service to your home or business. While the current system has performed well, it’s time to replace the natural gas lines with newer materials that will serve your community for many years to come.
Thank you for your response.
What can I expect?
You will first notice our representatives conducting preliminary work to ensure that pipelines are installed in the least invasive way possible. This will include locating and marking all underground utilities, such as water and cable. Next, we usually replace or add main lines along a street or right-of-way. We then construct service lines that connect the mains to homes or businesses. As a safety measure, we may also replace older indoor gas meters with new outdoor meters.
Thank you for your response.
Will my gas service be interrupted?
Your gas service may be briefly interrupted by this work. If so, we will contact you to schedule the work and make arrangements to test your house lines, perform a safety check and re-establish your service.
Thank you for your response.
During what time of day will work usually take place?
Construction will primarily take place from about 8:30 a.m. until approximately 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Thank you for your response.
How can I identify your employees and contractors?
All our employees and contractors can be identified by marked vehicles and also carry a photo ID.
Thank you for your response.
Why do you need to move some gas meters outside?
Moving gas meters to an appropriate place outside of your home or business provides first responders with easier access to gas meters in an emergency. It’s also more convenient. Once it’s moved, we won’t need access inside your home or business for routine inspections. This is a safety enhancement and a convenience that may not be applicable to your home, business or your neighborhood.
Thank you for your response.
Will you need to dig up my yard, sidewalk or driveway — and if so, who’s going to fix it?
Because all natural gas pipelines are buried, some digging will be necessary. We will try to minimize the amount of digging required. If we disturb your yard, sidewalk and/or driveway, we will repair affected areas as soon as weather permits. Initial restoration, such as leveling of surfaces, will be completed as the project progresses.
Thank you for your response.
How long will this take?
Many factors, including weather, can impact the construction schedule for our projects. Our goal is to complete these projects in a timely manner and minimize your inconvenience.
Thank you for your response.
How will I be notified about my service line installation?
Once we’re in that phase of the project, we will contact you to discuss the required work inside your home or business. If you aren’t available at that time, a door tag will be left with contact information to schedule an appointment.
Thank you for your response.
For more info
Contact us for more information about our projects.