More Than 100 Natural Gas Leaks Reported in Chelmsford

With writing by Frank O’Laughlin (Patch Staff)

Dozens of potentially damaging natural gas leaks have been pinpointed across the town of Chelmsford.

The locations of over 20,000 gas leaks across the state were recently revealed by the utilities EverSource and National Grid as part of a new state law, which requires utility companies to report the location and age of all known gas leaks. Those leaks could have cost ratepayers more than $1 billion, according to one estimate reported in The Boston Globe.

Maps pinpointing the data reported by National Grid and EverSource and created by the Home Efficiency Energy Team (HEET) reveal that Chelmsford has 146 known gas leaks, the oldest of which dates back to 2000.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation formula for determining Chapter 90 funding, the town of Chelmsford has 171 miles of roadway, which means a gas leak for every 1.2 miles of roadway in town. The town’s highway division, however, reports on its website that it is responsible for 230 miles of Chelmsford roads, which would reduce the number of gas leaks to one every 1.5 miles.

Click here to view Chelmsford’s map >>>

Audrey Schulman, president of the Home Energy Efficiency Team, told The Boston Globe that the leaks are a major health and environmental hazard.

“The leaks are potentially explosive, kill trees, harm human health, and release an extraordinarily destructive greenhouse gas,” Schulman said. ““To add insult to injury, we ratepayers have to pay for the lost gas.”

Utility company spokespersons told The Boston Globe that their companies are working to repair leaks as quickly as possible.

For more, check out the article in The Boston Globe>>>