Residents of Rockland Street have reached their boiling point with an ongoing gas leak in the neighborhood that has caused a smell in the area for months, they revealed at a Select Board meeting on January 27.

Lance Garth of 174 Rockland Street said at the meeting that he was among the first to call Eversource to the area months ago. 

“There isn’t a person to my right or my left that lives on Rockland Street that hasn’t been in their home when a spouse, child, or a neighbor comes in and says ‘Hey, I smell a gas leak,’” he said. “It happens very frequently.”

Eversource has classified the Rockland Street leak as Class 2, meaning it is currently not deemed a hazard, but justifies repair and requires periodic monitoring because it may become hazardous in the future.

Class 2 gas leaks can include leaks that are likely to spread gas close to houses, and those with gas levels of 20-80 percent of the lower explosive limit in an enclosed space or substructure.

According to gas leak mapping website heetma.org, Dartmouth had 60 unrepaired leaks in 2018, the last year for which data is available.

In an email to the town dated October 22, 2019, 182 Rockland Street resident Andrew Langhauser stated that “Over the last 6 months, there is growing evidence that the gas line on Rockland is failing and is causing some anxiety in the neighborhood.”

Langhauser outlined multiple repairs made in the area over the course of several months. 

In the email he described an incident in which a newly built house at 172 Rockland Street was unable to connect to the gas main, because they were “told by the Eversource crew that the main was too thin and fragile to accept welds from a new pipe.”

Representatives from the company told the residents and Select Board at the meeting that the pipe would be replaced this year.

Bob Conklin, manager of gas operations in New Bedford and Plymouth districts, said that projects to replace gas pipes in the area have been ongoing since all of his 38 years at the company. 

“Over the last ten years we’ve done quite a bit of work in Dartmouth to replace aging infrastructure,” he said, adding that the company will be replacing 12 miles of pipes in Dartmouth and Marion in 2020.

Among the chief concerns for residents was a perceived lack of information provided by the utility company about the leak.

“You can smell it every day now,” noted Langhauser at the meeting. “The question is, how do I or my fellow neighbors know if it’s a class 2, class 3, or class 1?”

“It would be helpful to have some type of guidance as to when is the situation serious, and when is it just the status quo,” he said. 

“I am relieved to hear that we are on the docket for replacement this year,” he added. “The sooner the better...We’re ready for construction delays and hassles any time.”

Conklin said that all Class 2 leaks are eliminated every year, and that the Rockland Street pipe will be replaced by the end of April.

“This section is 3300 feet,” he noted at the meeting. “I’d say it’s at least a month and a half of installing the gas main, and then another month of tying all the gas lines over, and killing the old pipe.”

“Walking out of your house and smelling the rotten egg smell is not comforting,” said Select Board member Shawn McDonald said, adding that the company should work on outreach and communication with area residents.

“I think it’s important that those people in the area at least be notified as to what the investigation was, and what has been determined. It will alleviate some fear,” he said.

“We do have a safe area, is that correct, sir?” asked Select Board Chair Stanley Mickelson.

“Yes sir. I would go right into that [area] and camp out right now,” answered Conklin. “That’s how safe [it is].”

And although the residents praised the response from Eversource, the Fire Department, and the town, there was still some concern over the issue.

“It’s at the point now where you smell it every day,” said Langhauser after the meeting. “As a citizen you’re not trained in this. How do you know it’s serious?”

“It’s safe up to today,” he added. “But tomorrow? The pipe is not getting any better.”