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Unmarked Sewer Laterals Horizontal
Cross-Bores
AGA 2006 Operations Conference

• Mike Kemper, NPL Construction Company

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Who is NPL?

• Core Business
• The safe installation maintenance of reliable
  energy distribution systems
• Over 500 crews
• Over 2500 employees
• Operate in 20 states
• One of the largest users of
• One-Call Centers in U.S

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THE OFTEN FORGOTTEN UNDERGROUND WORLD
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More More Utilities Are Installed Using
Trenchless Technology
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Do We Have a Problem?
What could happen?
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GAS LINE IN A 6 SEWER
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(No Transcript)
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What happens when laterals are hit during
drilling / boring operations?
What happens when a plumber is called?
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Utility Service line Sewer Line Rotary-Rooter
Disaster
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Headline February 15, 2002 Officials Seek
Answers In Gas Explosion
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HeadlineFebruary 16, 2002Shocked Gas Company
Pleads Ignorance

• The natural gas explosion that rocked a mobile
  home park on Wednesday shocked officials who say
  they never knew their gas line bisected the clay
  sewer pipe.
• A plumbing contractor was removing tree roots
  from a sanitary sewer line in the 127 unit mobile
  home park when the gas line was struck.
• About the only time we know about sewer lines is
  when people call because they get backed up and
  have to call someone in to clean them, said the
  Operations Manager with the Local Gas Company.

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HeadlineMarch 13, 2006Woman, Granddaughters
Barely Escape Explosion

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HeadlineMarch 17, 2006Answers in Gas Home
Explosion

• Investigators say they now know exactly what led
  to home explosion.
• The subcontractor the Local Gas Company hired to
  install new gas lines ran the gas line into the
  sewer line. The augur went right through the
  gas pipe and they didnt even know they had done
  that. - Fire Marshall
• City Building Inspector the contractor did the
  work like any other contractor would. Theres no
  system to know exactly where sewers are,
  especially to a house on a hill.

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HeadlineMarch 17, 2006Answers in Gas Home
Explosion

• Fire Chief says a plumber was using an auger to
  clear a clogged drain when he accidentally hit a
  natural gas line. After seeing bubbles in the
  water and smelling the gas, he told a grandmother
  and 3 grandchildren to get out of the home
  immediately, likely saving lives.
• As soon as the people got out of the home, it
  blew up.

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HeadlineMarch 17, 2006Answers in Gas Home
Explosion

• This isnt the first time city officials have
  discovered a gas line that broke a sewer line.
• City Inspectors say this affects more than
  residents of their own city.
• They plan on meeting with the Local Gas Company
  to come up with a plan to prevent this from
  happening again.

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Kansas School Explosion
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Virginia Explosion
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Indiana Explosion
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Minnesota Explosion
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Rhode Island Explosion
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Ohio Gas Fire
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Your State? Your Territory?
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The dangers of cross-bored sewer laterals exist
in every neighborhood
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Commercial Building
School
Residential Home
Mobile Home Park
Apartment Complex
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How often does this happen?
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What are the odds?One Case Study
11,000 Laterals Were Inspected
250 Hits Identified And Repaired
2 of Sewer Laterals Were Hit.

• How Many Might Have Led To A Major Incident?

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Another Case Study

• 4 Blocks Were Inspected
• 24 Hits Were Discovered.

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LOW FREQUENCYHIGH SEVERITY
The Exposure
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The Big Concerns

1. Catastrophic Human Tragedy
2. Huge Property Costs

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THE GREATEST CONCERN

• CATASTROPHIC PERSONAL LOSSES
• Because Some
• Utility Lines
• Are
• EXEMPT
• FROM
• LOCATING LAWS

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THE COST CONCERN

• Contractors and Utilities are often held
  responsible for hitting these unmarked, unknown
  utility lines
• Insurance rates are on the rise
• As the insurance industry is becoming rapidly
  aware of this exposure, the ability to secure
  insurance for trenchless technology is in
  jeopardy.

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THE ROOT CAUSE A CATCH 22

• Crews have no practical way of finding them are
  often even prohibited from checking for them due
  to governmental no-cut policies.
• The laws in some States do not require all
  privately-owned some publicly-owned facilities
  in the historic corridor to be marked.
• The laws in some States are not well enforced.

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State Regulations 40 States

• Owner or operator of an underground facility is
  responsible to locate the approximate horizontal
  location of that facility.
• Is that the home/building owner or municipality?
• Courts have ruled that home/building owner does
  not have expertise to be responsible for location
  of sewer laterals.
• Does the State require them to join the One-Call
  system?
• Who is responsible for enforcement?

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Interesting Interpretations?

• In Kansas and Vermont
• Sewer is not designated as a facility
• In California
• exempts non-pressurized lines
• In Missouri
• exempts privately owned sewer and water lines.

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Houston, we have a problem

• -Tom Hanks in
• Apollo 13

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THE CHALLENGE

• There is little awareness of this issue outside
  the contracting and insurance industries.
• This exposure is escalating as more trenchless
  installations are done each year.
• Action can be taken immediately.

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Luck is not a strategy

• Steve Ewing
• Chairman AGA
• Vice Chair, DTE Energy

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THE SOLUTIONS

1. Installed Solutions
2. Installation Solutions

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INSTALLED SOLUTIONS

• Take stock, get a plan
• Example Educate local plumbers, rental stores,
  mobile home park owners to look before they
  root
• Goal
• Find installed problems before they find us.

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What about the costs?
50 - 125 per lateral locate depending on
variables.

• Diameter of sewer main

• How much cleaning required

• How many locates per set-up

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INSTALLATION SOLUTIONS

• All new sewer laterals should be installed with a
  location device (i.e. tracer wire, marker balls,
  etc.)
• All underground facilities, including sewer
  lines, should be marked by the entity that
  receives revenue from the facility.

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Goal Protecting all Parties

• Public

• Facility Owners

• Contractor

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CALL TO ACTION

• Initiate Legislation/Enforcement
• Support Legislation/Enforcement

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THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE!
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We Will Win!
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QUESTIONS?
QUESTIONS?