Energy company digs up street to find source of heat

Rowan Sanders, a spokesman for Veolia Energy North America, the parent company of Trigen Energy Boston, which owns the steam pipes in the area, said there was no break in the steam lines and no hazardous materials release.

Sanders said that hot water from condensation in the steam energy company manholes is discharged through a pipe to the city sewer system. Somehow, the water from that discharge pipe leaked into the ground.

"We're digging up the pipe to find out what's wrong," he said.

Trigen pipes hot steam underneath the city. The steam is used either to heat buildings or to make hot water.