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Natural Gas Safety & Public Awareness
Clarksville Gas is very proud of its enduring safety record in the delivery and management of natural gas through many miles of pipeline. We have achieved this safety record through the diligent efforts of the gas pipeline industry and by working closely with state and federal agencies and the public.
It is our goal to continually improve public safety by improving our safety record. In order to meet or exceed this goal we must first remember that natural gas is flammable and if its release is not controlled, it could result in a fire or an explosion. Gas employees vigilantly monitor the gas system from residential meters to underground pipelines to ensure its safety, but we need your help, too.
Call Before You Dig!
Are you thinking about building a new swimming pool, installing a drain tile system, constructing a fence or new building? If so, you must call 811 (800-351-1111) before you dig!
One Call System
For your convenience, the Clarksville Gas Department and other utilities have joined a "One Call System" that notifies participating utilities to locate underground lines 72 hours prior to the onset of your excavation or digging project. All you have to do is call the Tennessee One Call System at 811 (800-351-1111), provide them with the information concerning your work and they will alert the participating utilities in the "One Call" program to locate lines where your digging project will take place.
The program is designed to prevent costly and potentially dangerous excavation damage to pipelines, utilities, water lines and telecommunication systems. The law requires notification and fines can be imposed for failure to comply.
Within 72 hours of your phone call to the "One Call" system, we will investigate the area of your work and mark in yellow paint, flags or stakes where our pipelines are located. Every effort is made to place the markings directly above the pipe, but the location could vary two feet in either direction. Depth of the pipeline is not usually indicated, requiring extreme caution while excavating in close proximity of a marked facility. It is required that pipelines be exposed by hand digging.
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.