NY wrote:
My parents were one of the 400-odd houses which lost their gas supply near
Aylesbury when a water main burst (which quite an explosion, from witness
reports) and fractured an adjacent gas main, letting water in the gas main.
Apparently the water cause stones in the ground to be circulated by the
cascading water, abrading a hole in the gas pipe. There have been "lots of"
gas vans parked up, as they try to empty the water and restore gas supplies.

But how do they go about emptying out the water from the pipe? About 1.5
miles of pipe are affected - the houses that have lost their supply extend
about 3/4 mile either side of the burst.



I dont know the answer but its a nightmare for the gas companies.

Until theyve had access to every gas meter supplied and turned of the gas
at the meter they cant restore the supply. If the meter is indoors and the
owner away, they have to dig up the pavement to disconnect the property.
Happened in our street a few years ago. Fortunately just a clumsy JCB
induced fracture, no water involved.

Tim

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