Natural Gas Safety & Public Awareness

Pipeline Awareness

Because natural gas pipelines are underground, the public often is unaware of their presence. Pipelines may be in your neighborhood, or even on your property. How do you know?

One of the easiest ways to locate a pipeline is to recognize pipeline markers. The Clarksville Gas Department uses pipeline markers with high-visibility yellow and installs the markers at road crossings, railroads and other points along the pipeline right-of-way. The markers identify the pipeline company and include telephone numbers to call to reach a company representative.

If a pipeline is on your property, the easement is the agreement that gives the pipeline company the right of access to build, operate and maintain the pipeline. Please remember, if a pipeline is on your property, the right-of-way must be kept clear of structures and trees. These restrictions are necessary for safety reasons. Please contact the Clarksville Gas Department at 931-645-7422 for additional information.

Report Unusual Conditions

You can be an important addition to a pipeline company's safety program by being alert to conditions or situations that could threaten the integrity of pipelines in your neighborhood. Provided are examples of potentially dangerous situations. Please immediately contact the Clarksville Gas Department at 931-645-7422 during business hours or after hours at 931-645-0116 if you encounter any of these situations or need any additional information.

Accidental Hit of a Pipeline

Occasionally a plow, post-hole digger or other excavation equipment strikes a pipeline. While the impact may not seem significant, damage to the pipe and coating creates a concentration of stress and corrosion on that part of the pipeline. The Clarksville Gas Department will inspect the damage and make any necessary repairs or maintenance.

Washout of Soil

The washout of soil on the pipeline right-of-way, or along river and stream banks can expose a pipeline to damage from machinery or the elements. The company will take action to protect the pipeline.

Suspected Pipeline Leak

There are several signs that can indicate a leak is present. These include distressed or dead vegetation in a pipeline or right-of-way that can be caused by a small leak in a gas pipeline, or a hissing sound or odor of gas in the pipeline right-of-way. If you see, hear or smell any of these signs, please notify the Clarksville Gas Department at 931-645-7422 during business hours or 931-645-0116 after hours and we will investigate the situation.

Odor of Gas

Natural gas is odorized to give it a distinctive odor as a means of early gas leak detection. Workers in the natural gas industry add odorants and maintain an odorant level in the gas to make it detectable if there is a gas leak. The Clarksville Gas Department has "Scratch and Sniff" cards at the office to help you become familiar with this distinctive odor.

Steps to Take in an Emergency

If you encounter a gas leak or a suspected gas leak, you should immediately take the following steps to protect yourself and others in the area:

• Leave the area immediately.
• Warn others.
• Do not light a match, start an engine, use a telephone (in the area), operate a light switch or do anything that would create a spark.
• Call 911 from a different location.

Faint Odor of Gas

If you smell a faint odor of natural gas inside your home or business:

• Investigate immediately.
• If the source of the odor cannot be located or corrected, call the Clarksville Gas Department immediately (24 hours a day). A representative will come to your home or business and make an inspection at no charge to you.

Strong Odor/Hissing Noise

If a strong or persistent odor of natural gas is present in your home or business, or if you hear a hissing sound of escaping natural gas, follow this procedure:

• Get everyone out of the building immediately.
• Leave the door open.
• Use a neighbor's phone or cell phone outside of the building to call the Clarksville Gas Department at (931) 645-7422, after hours at (931) 645-0116 or 911 if the odor is very strong.
• Do not operate any electrical switches, appliance controls, or pull any plugs from outlets.
• Do not use the telephone in the building.