McCook pressure monitored 24/7

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Natural gas is delivered to homes and businesses throughout the city of McCook with little thought given to the process, as long as the water is hot and the furnace is providing the needed warmth.

Thursday's tragedy in California, as reported by the Associated Press on page two of today's paper, brings forward some important questions about the behind-the-scenes events that keep the water hot and the furnace running.

The main natural gas lines serving McCook homes and businesses are low-pressure lines. According to Char Reiman, manager of Nebraska business relations for Source Gas, pressure levels are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by the Gas Control department of Source Gas located in Lakewood, Colorado.

"We run our towns on low pressure, monitor the pressure at all times and patrol the lines regularly for gas leaks as well," said Reiman.

According to Reiman the company also performs mock emergency response drills that are routinely conducted with the involvement of local fire departments and the Nebraska State Patrol. "Safety of our customers, employees and the public is [priority] number one for us, the drills help prepare everyone in the event of an emergency," said Reiman.

The number one cause of pipeline failure is third-party damage to the lines.

To prevent this, Source Gas instructs individuals to call the Nebraska one-call system at 811 for line location.

If you do hit a pipeline, always report it immeditately.

If you notice the smell of natural gas in your home or business, Source Gas instructs individuals to leave the location immediately and contact their customer care center at 1-800-563-0012.

In case of a gas line rupture call 9-1-1.