Contact Us

or visit us in person!

We love our customers! Feel free to visit during normal business hours. We have made adjustments to our office with a customer service window or please feel free to take advantage of our drop box on the back porch of the courthouse.

Consolidated Gas Utility District

200 Main St, Colfax, Louisiana 71417, United States

Office Administrator: Susan Johnson Administrative Assistant: Emily Gray (318) 627-3333 Office (318) 627-5927 Fax

Hours

Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Gas System Public Awareness Notice

Consolidated Gas Utility District

Gas System Public Awareness Notice

Consolidated Gas Utility District owns and operates a natural gas distribution system. The gas

system consists of an underground network of pipelines in and around the Parish. The purpose

of the gas system is to provide a reliable and safe economical source of energy for heating

purposes to the homes and businesses adjacent to the underground gas pipelines. The pipeline

system has the capacity to reliably deliver natural gas to the customers.

The hazards of natural gas are it is odorless, colorless, tasteless, lighter than air and can ignite

and/or explode with tremendous force when mixed with the right amount of air.

Prevention measures taken include:

• Adding odorant to the gas to give it that distinctive smell, similar to

rotten eggs, to warn us of its presence,

• Testing the odorant level every month,

• Performing annual gas leakage surveys, and

• Conducting periodic pipeline patrols.

The following are signs that may indicate a gas leak:

♦ A hissing or roaring sound (caused by escaping gas),

♦ A patch of dead or discolored vegetation in an otherwise green

setting along a pipeline route,

♦ Blowing dirt, grass or leaves near a pipeline,

♦ Continuous bubbling in wet, flooded areas,

♦ A "gas smell", similar to rotten eggs.

Anyone who may smell this odor or notice any unusual conditions on or near gas mains, vents,

service lines, meter sets, or especially inside of a building should call the Gas District

immediately. If you smell a strong gas odor inside a building, notify everyone in the building to

leave. Do not operate any switches or use the phone. Go a safe distance away upwind of the

gas smell and call the Gas District. With any gas leak protect life first then property.

Pipeline markers are maintained to inform the public of the gas line location. State and federal

laws require excavators to notify State One-Call Center two (2) full working days before digging.

If any excavation is planned you must notify the One-Call Center which will notify the gas

system to locate the gas lines. The Consolidated· Gas Utility District maintains membership in

the State One-Call program.

To obtain additional information or report a gas related issue call the Consolidated Gas Utility

District 318-627-3333, Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm, after hours call 318-627-3261. The State One Call

Center phone number is 811. This information and the pipeline signs are provided as public

awareness and damage prevention awareness notices.

If you suspect a natural gas leak...

There are a number of different ways to identify a potential natural gas leak.

Look

If you see:

A damaged connection to a natural gas appliance
Dirt, water or debris being blown into the air
A dry patch of grass in your yard (in an otherwise moist area)
A fire or explosion near a pipeline
Exposed pipeline after an earthquake, fire, flood or other disaster.

Listen

If you hear an unusual sound, such as a hissing, whistling or roaring, near a natural gas line or appliance.

Smell

If you smell the distinctive odor of natural gas, often described as a sulfur-like odor.
Note: some people may not be able to smell the odor for a number of reasons (see below).

Don’t Rely on Just Your Nose

Although a distinctive odor is added to make natural gas easy to recognize, you may not be able to smell leaking gas if:

You have a diminished sense of smell
You’re experiencing odor fatigue (normal, temporary inability to distinguish an odor after prolonged exposure to it)
You have a physical condition such as a common cold, sinus condition or allergies
You use tobacco, alcohol, drugs and certain medications
The odor is masked or hidden by other odors that are present
Pipe and soil conditions have caused odor fade (see below).

Odor Fade

Sometimes physical and/or chemical processes can cause a loss of odorant in natural gas, making it undetectable by smell. Odor fade can be caused by adsorption, absorption, oxidation or any combination thereof.

Odor fade is more likely to occur in the following situations:

In new, steel pipe that has been recently manufactured or hasn’t been used for odorized natural gas before
In natural gas piping systems using higher gas pressure, and when natural gas flow is limited or intermittent
In the presence of rust, mill scale, moisture, air, cutting oil, pipe thread compound, liquids, condensates and other substances

Because of the possibility of odor fade, it's important to not rely only on your sense of smell to be alerted to a natural gas leak.

If you have additional questions or concerns regarding pipe conditioning or odor fade, call us at 318-627-3333 or contact a licensed, qualified professional.

What to Do if You Suspect a Natural Gas Leak

If you smell a natural gas odor, hear the hissing sound of gas escaping or see other signs of a leak:

IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE the area, and from a safe location either call 318.627.3333 (during office hours.) or after office hours, call 318.627.3261 (Sheriff’s Office) or 911.
DON'T smoke, or light a match, candle or other flame.
DON'T turn electrical appliances or lights on or off, operate motorized equipment or vehicles, or use any device that could cause a spark.

318-627-3333

or call 911.