LAWRENCE, Mass. — Six weeks ago, the Merrimack Valley was rocked by numerous gas explosions and thousands of customers have had no heat or hot water ever since.
Columbia Gas has now set a deadline of Dec. 16 to restore service to all customers, but there is concern whether the utility company can achieve that goal. Columbia Gas had previously given a deadline of Nov. 19.
.@MassGovernor did not give new target date, but N Andover @Town_Mgr_Maylor says in this note that all “stoves and dryers will be installed no later than 12/16” pic.twitter.com/du8w25TCqU
— Jessica Reyes (@jessicamreyes) October 26, 2018
.@ColumbiaGasMA gas restoration now expected between the dates of December 2nd and December 16th.
— Jessica Reyes (@jessicamreyes) October 26, 2018
Columbia Gas has made solid progress replacing mainline gas pipes in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover with more than 90 percent of the task complete. But thousands of service lines running from the street to houses still need replacement and that's fueling concerns.
Update from @ColumbiaGasMA on MV restoration project progress pic.twitter.com/ClbXexAiGG
— Jessica Reyes (@jessicamreyes) October 26, 2018
>> Lawyer: Family wants justice after gas explosions death
Some residents are not surprised to hear the finish date may be slipping.
FYI on MV restoration project: the 11/19 target @ColumbiaGasMA was aiming for was to get all affected homes “gas ready.”
— Jessica Reyes (@jessicamreyes) October 26, 2018
That is NOT the same as “house ready.” There’s no target date for completion of that yet. Here’s the difference: pic.twitter.com/x6RIWiZjdq
"I don't think anybody can tell when this is going to be done. I mean this is huge. Honestly, I just don't think anybody knows, realistically, when it will be done," said displaced resident Chris Antolick.
Attorney General Maura Healey released a statement regarding the new deadline:
“Columbia Gas needs to explain why, even after incorporating temporary repairs, it may take until mid-December to restore heat and hot water to families who have already faced these burdens for weeks and weeks. We recognize this is a challenging recovery, but the new schedule is simply unacceptable. By November 19, Columbia Gas should provide all impacted residents with either temporary or permanent heat, or appropriate temporary housing, regardless of cost."
.@MassGovernor, @danrivera01843, & Columbia Gas officials will update media on the timeline for the Merrimack Valley restoration project this AM. These are some of the trailers people are in Lawrence are now living in as they wait for heat/hot water to be restored to their homes pic.twitter.com/DC8uQPApGE
— Jessica Reyes (@jessicamreyes) October 26, 2018
Columbia Gas will be holding "open houses" in Lawrence, Andover & North Andover on Saturday, Oct. 27 to answer questions on claims process, temporary housing solutions, in-home assessments and installations, home and business relights, construction, customer service, energy efficiency and gas safety:
North Andover
Open House: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Executive Q&A: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
North Andover Senior Center, 120 R Main Street
Lawrence
Open House: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Executive Q&A: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Lawrence High School, 70-71 N Parish Road
Andover
Open House: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Executive Q&A: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Doherty Middle School, 50 Bartlet Street
>> Merrimack Valley still impacted on 1-month anniversary of gas explosions
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