Columbia Gas of Ohio and its contractor, Miller Pipeline, are set to begin a pipeline replacement project in Tiffin on Monday, May 27, 2024. Crews will be installing approximately 8,400 feet of new plastic pipe serving 140 residences on sections of Washington, Park, Highland, Summit, Lawndale, 6th, 7th and Grand.
The project has several long-term benefits:
• Enhanced safety features
• Reliability of service for years to come
• Less future maintenance
• Pipe lifespan of 100 years
• System support for amenities like fire pits,
outdoor grills, pool heaters, etc.
Work will begin May 27, 2024 and last roughly 3 months.
Note - this project may impact driveways and sidewalks in the short-term. For any residents with special circumstances (disability, limited mobility or specific health concerns), please reach out to Columbia Gas at your earliest convenience so that a specialty plan can be created for install at the property.
Businesses are encouraged to reach out as well.
What will be done?
1. Prep work.
To make sure no other underground utilities are damaged by this work, Columbia Gas will call 811 to have the public utilities marked with flags, stakes and temporary paint. Columbia Gas may also schedule time to enter your home or business to inspect your sewer and gas lines. Please contact Megan Hunyor at 419-265-5762 to inform them about buried sprinkler or septic systems, invisible fences or cisterns at your home or business.
2. Install gas lines.
Crews will replace the main line and service lines that connect your home to system.
3. Columbia Gas will schedule an appointment
Columbia Gas of Ohio will make an appointment to connect the home or business to the system. For safety, gas services will be off during the installation. They may relocate the meter to an appropriate place outside at no additional cost to residents.
4. Safety check and relight
Once gas work is completed, Columbia Gas will conduct a natural gas safety inspection outside and inside the home or business. After a successful inspection, they will relight your appliances.
5. Clean up
Crews will repair or replace any portions of sidewalks, driveways, landscaping, etc. disturbed by our work. Please contact Megan Hunyor at 419-265-5762 or message [email protected] with any questions.
Area of Work
Residents can expect to see Columbia Gas working with Miller Pipeline. All employees and contractors of these two companies can be identified by marked vehicles and also carry photo ID.
WORK ZONE SAFETY TIPS:
• Stay safe by keeping children and pets away from construction areas.
• Do not park in marked construction zones.
• Drive carefully in construction zones.
• Follow the direction of traffic signs and on-site crew.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY ARE THE NATURAL GAS LINES BEING REPLACED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?
While the current system has performed well, it’s time to replace the natural gas lines with newer materials.
HOW CAN I IDENTIFY COLUMBIA GAS AND MILLER PIPELINE EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS?
All employees and contractors can be identified by marked vehicles. They also carry photo ID.
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 part of your monthly bill.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO MOVE THE GAS METER?
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 as well as other safety advantages. Once it’s moved, the inside of your home or business won't need to be accessed for routine inspections.
WILL I BE NOTIFIED WHEN COLUMBIA GAS NEEDS TO GET INSIDE MY HOME OR BUSINESS?
Yes, you will be contacted to discuss the required work inside your home or business. If you aren’t available, a door tag will be left with contact information to schedule an appointment.
WILL YOU NEED TO DIG IN MY YARD, SIDEWALK OR DRIVEWAY AND IF YOU DO, WHO’S GOING TO FIX IT? Because all natural gas pipelines are buried, some digging will be necessary. Columbia Gas will try to minimize the amount of digging required. If your yard, sidewalk and/or driveway is disturbed, the affected areas will be repaired as soon as weather permits. Initial restoration, such as leveling of surfaces, will be completed as the project progresses.
WHAT IF I SMELL GAS?
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 1-800-344-4077 from a safe location. If crews are working in the area, you also may contact the on-site project supervisor after you have called 1-800-344-4077.
HOW LONG WILL MY GAS BE TURNED OFF? Your gas service will be temporarily turned off when your meter is being worked on. If your meter is already outside, your gas service will still be turned off when your service line is connected to the main line. This outage will be brief, usually between 2–4 hours. Once work is complete, crews will need to get back inside your home or business to 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 while work is being completed.
WILL YOU BLOCK MY STREET OR DRIVEWAY? Access may temporarily be blocked to an entire street, lane or even a driveway. If you need access to your driveway, let crews know. When it is safe to do so, they will accommodate your request. Most of the digging will be in the grassy part of the public right-of-way and yards but often equipment is in the street while crews are working.
HOW DO I KNOW THINGS WILL BE RESTORED TO THEIR EXISTING CONDITION? At the start of the project, crews will document your property’s current state. Photos or video footage may be taken.
