The maintenance of buried gas piping downstream of the gas meter to gas-fired appliances or other structures on the property is the responsibility of the home/property owner or current occupant.

NorthWestern Energy is required to inform customers with privately owned natural gas or propane service lines of their responsibility to inspect and maintain their piping (Code of Federal Regulations 49 CFR 192.16). Customers should have the pipes periodically inspected for leaks, and metallic pipes should also be inspected for corrosion by qualified professionals, such as your local plumber. Any unsafe conditions should be repaired immediately, or the flow of gas should be shut off.

Call 911, if you notice any of these signs of a pipeline leak:
• An unusual blowing or hissing sound coming from the ground.
• Dirt or dust blowing from a hole in the ground.
• Bubbling ponds.
• Dead or discolored vegetation in an otherwise green area near a pipeline right of way.
• A fire close to a buried pipeline.

NorthWestern Energy makes it easy for you to detect natural gas leaks by adding an unpleasant rotten egg or skunk-like smell to natural gas. If you smell this odor:

1. Get away. Leave the area immediately.
2. Don't create a spark. Do not use phones, matches, light switches or anything else that could trigger the ignition of the gas.
3. When at a safe distance, call 911.

There is no way to visibly check. You most likely already have an EFV installed if:

• Your home/building was built since June 2008
• Your gas service line was replaced since June 2008

An EFV is intended to stop the flow of gas if the service line is severed. The EFV is placed in the service line where it leaves the gas main. An EFV will stop the flow of gas only if the service line is severely damaged. It is important to note that an EFV will not protect you from a leak or broken line inside your home, or a small leak on the line in your yard. An example of when the valve provides protection is in the event the gas service is damaged from digging or extreme ground movement.

Check that the equipment is:

• Free of obvious signs of tempering or openings 

• Locked with no signs of damage to enclosure

• Sitting solidly and squarely on the concrete pad

• Free of oil leaks

• Free of major or structural rust (rust covers less than 1% of the surface)

• Free of large blistered or unpainted areas

• Free of visible structural defects

• Not hidden in overgrown vegetation

Transformers and switches for underground electrical systems are sometimes installed above ground, bolted to a concrete pad and covered with a padlocked metal box (kiosk) to allow for easier installation and maintenance access. Pad-mounted equipment is safe to clean, wrap, or paint unless it has been damaged willfully, by accident, or by an act of nature. Broken, displaced, leaking, or vandalized equipment may not be safe or may need repair work.

Outages occur for many reasons. Here are the most common causes of unplanned outages:

• System equipment, such as service lines, underground conductor, transformers and insulators.
• Birds and squirrels.
• Debris on the pole or in the line.
• Weather, such as snow, thunderstorms or extreme temperatures.

Check fuses or circuit breakers to rule out problems with electricity inside your home. If there’s not an issue with your fuses or breakers, report the outage to NorthWestern Energy. You can report outages online or by calling:

• 888-467-2669 in Montana or
• 800-245-6977 in South Dakota/Nebraska

 

Learn more 

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