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Gas line puncture leads to road closure in Otter area

 

Workers had to close down a Langley road Thursday to do repairs after striking a gas line during water main construction.

The area around 52nd Avenue, between 237th and 238th Streets, was temporarily closed while Fortis came and the gas was shut off.

Contractors building the water main to Aldergrove hit an unmarked service connection to a house, said Township manager of community development Ramin Seifi.

This is the second issue on that stretch of watermain construction this year, after problems with pressure seals failed to hold when tested on a previous section of pipe.

“We’re still on schedule,” said Seifi, who said more crews are being brought in and work is being speeded up.

The cost of hitting the small gas pipeline shouldn’t affect the Township.

“This is something that the contractor is completely responsible for,” said Seifi.

Local residents, including Pam Erikson, have raised concerns about road closures and about the local water table, an issue for residents with shallow wells.

“We don’t think that there is any impact to the water table,” said Seifi.

Geotechnical and hydrological analysts have worked on the route design, and the Township is monitoring the program on a daily basis, said Seifi.