Columbia sets plan to restore service
Residents must be ‘house ready,’ ‘gas ready’
Residents in the greater Lawrence area will be getting “house ready” and “gas ready” as part of a plan that Columbia Gas announced yesterday during its continued restoration efforts in the Merrimack Valley.
The plan outlines details for in-home and inbusiness assessments, appliance installation and safety checks that are required to restore service to the approximately 10,000 households that the Sept. 13 gas explosions left without heat and hot water.
According to the Columbia Gas Greater Lawrence Restoration Program available online, 45 miles of pipeline and 6,100 service lines must be installed in affected areas. As of Tuesday, 5 miles of pipeline and 210 service lines were installed. Service is projected to be restored to all homes and businesses by Nov. 19.
The office of Attorney General Maura Healey will “monitor” Columbia’s progress, according to spokeswoman Jillian Fennimore.
As part of the “house ready” plan, crews will take a block approach to cover neighborhoods as they remove damaged appliances and repair or replace in-home gas lines. There are 63 projects across eight zones, with multiple blocks within each zone. Columbia Gas partnered with Gilbane Reconstruction Services to help with the restoration; GRS aided in restoration efforts after Hurricane Harvey, Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Irma.
According to a press release from Columbia Gas, restoring service in the affected areas is “dependent on the home or business being both ‘Gas Ready’ and ‘House Ready.’ ” Columbia Gas has 3,000 employees and contractors in greater Lawrence who are helping with the “gas ready” and “house ready” plans.
Making your home or business “house ready” requires a visit from an assessment team to access gas appliances and piping and repairs and installations of gas lines. Becoming “gas ready” includes main line replacement, service line replacement and gas meter installation. The last step in the new plan is a safety check and a service relight.
An interactive map available to residents online through Columbia Gas will show residents the progress on construction and restoration as well as when work is planned for their area.