Section 500.340  Maintenance and Replacement of Service Pipes

a)         For the purpose of this Section, a service pipe shall be the piping extending from the utility's main to and including the first fitting or valve inside the building wall, and in the case of outside meters the piping extending from the utility's main to the inlet connection of the meter.

b)         The utility shall at its own expense remove all condensate, water or other matter accumulating in any service pipe that may interfere with the uniform flow of gas.  Existing service pipe so laid as to cause an interference with service on account of freezing shall be changed at the utility's expense to eliminate trouble from this source, and traps in service pipes which repeatedly cause pressure trouble shall be permanently removed at the utility's expense.  Service pipes hereafter installed or replaced in low pressure systems preferably shall be not smaller than one inch in diameter and existing construction should be made to conform with this requirement when pressure conditions become unsatisfactory or when other conditions make replacement advisable.

c)         If it becomes necessary to replace a service pipe to furnish satisfactory pressure to a residential or commercial customer, the utility shall at its own expense make such change unless it can show to the satisfaction of the Commission that such service pipe was not installed at its direction or under its supervision, and that the original installation was not made in accordance with specifications effective at the time the pipe was laid. When it becomes necessary to enlarge materially a service pipe for any purpose, the matter may be brought to the attention of the Commission for a determination as to the reasonableness of requiring the utility to bear the expense.