Gainesboro Water Department Experiencing Severe Gas Leak

A serious gas leak in the basement of the Gainesboro Water Department’s main office has left the department without any heat.

Water Distribution Supervisor Johnny Pigg said the gas line going to the building’s heater began leaking Thursday and was promptly shut off. Pigg said the gas company proposed two possible methods to re-plumb the gas line.

“They may can dig that up and fix it out here at the corner of the building where it’s at,” Pigg said. “Or they may can go off of Ash Lane behind H&R Block, tap to that gas line, and run it in the front our building to where we’ll essentially have a twenty foot service line, as compared to now, if we have to re-run it, we’re going to have to run about a hundred and twenty feet.”

Pigg said the leak was using a huge amount of gas at a cubic foot per minute. Pigg said gas to the building will stay shut off until the issue is repaired.

He said the gas company reported leakage before the gas meter on their side and past the gas meter on the water department’s side.

“It has a three or a four-inch line that that natural gas company said was unneeded to run one heater,” Pigg said. “It got to where you could smell gas in the basement.”