Rhode Island's aging gas lines: Leaks still a problem, despite repairs

Rhode Island’s natural gas distribution system has a troubling percentage of bare steel and iron pipes — outdated materials prone to corrosion and cracking that need to be replaced for the public’s safety.

Aging pipes are a nationwide concern. They cause leaks that can endanger homes and people, cost billions of dollars in lost gas, and contribute to emissions that warm the atmosphere.

The problem is particularly acute in Rhode Island. According to a state-by-state survey by the federal government:

• Rhode Island has the second-highest percentage of cast- or wrought-iron pipes: 24 percent.
• It has the seventh-highest percentage of bare steel pipes: 8 percent.
• And it has the second-highest percentage of pipes that were installed before 1970: 48 percent.

An hours-long gas leak on the night of March 29 that closed Route 195 and shut down part of Providence has focused new attention on pipeline safety in Rhode Island. State regulators blamed construction around the high-pressure pipe that destabilized it, causing a joint to crack open.

Read more: http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20170505/ris-aging-gas-lines-leaks-still-problem-despite-repairs