Some gas service restored; Menino satisfied with repair effort

By John C. Drake, Globe Staff

Mayor Thomas M. Menino has asked National Grid and the Boston Water and Sewer Commission to give the city a joint assessment of how a 12-inch water main break Saturday led to a loss of natural gas service for more than 400 residents and businesses in the Financial District and North End.

At a noon press conference, Menino said he was satisfied with the pace with which National Grid is restoring gas service to customers, a process expected to continue through Thursday.

"I think they’re doing the best job they can," Menino said.

Since the break, natural gas service has been restored to roughly 85 customers, the bulk of which are in the North End, according to a release issued today by National Grid. Boston’s chief of environment and energy, James Hunt, said at the news conference that about 100 more customers "are being lit as we speak."

National Grid said it has sucked 60,000 gallons of water – the rough equivalent volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool – from 13 miles of natural gas pipes in the area, which covers 30 streets.

More than 410 business and residential customers – and many more residents who live in apartment complexes with a single meter – lost gas service early Saturday morning after the water main break in the Financial District punctured a gas line. While the bulk of the water has been removed, the complicated process of removing pockets of remaining water could stretch into winter, meaning customers will see periodic disruptions of gas service for the rest of the year.

At today’s press conference, Menino also said he did not believe there was a dispute between National Grid and the Boston Water and Sewer Commission over the incident. "They're working well together," he said.

A spokesman for the water and sewer commission told the Globe Monday it was directing customers seeking reimbursement for costs and loss of business related to the gas service interruption to National Grid. A National Grid spokeswoman said the utility did not believe it was liable.

Hunt said it was too early to say who would be ultimately responsible and said the focus for now should be on restoring service.

“Today we don’t know the cause of that, and it will be a little time before we do know the cause,” Hunt said.

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