Washington Gas Crew to Visit College Park Today to Investigate Residents’ Complaints about Gas Leaks

[Update: Due to inclement weather the WGL leak crew investigation has been postponed until Monday.]

The Washington Gas representatives came to this week’s meeting to discuss their services in College Park. Several residents have complained about the gas leaks in various neighborhoods of College Park.

Yesterday evening, the City was contacted by Washington Gas. They advised us that a leak detection crew will be in the city today reviewing the locations that we provided them prior to and after this week’s meeting. Our City engineer will be shadowing the crew.

Thank you all for sending the gas leak issues around the neighborhood. I’ve compiled your reported issues into a list and sent that to our City Engineer. The Washington Gas leak detection crew will be looking into these locations during their visit today. If you want to add more locations to this list, please let me know. Thank you!

1. E.D [ Daniels Park ] – I have resided on Iroquois street for 36 years now. The issue is we were one of the streets that had gas leaks that have recently been corrected after many calls and spot repairs. The issue is now of safety, there were several speed humps that were removed when the street was repaved and one particular one has not been replaced. Frequently vehicles are speeding up and down at speeds that are not safe. Please can you address with the city, before someone or property is damaged? Thanks.
2. C.R. [Oaks Spring] – I’ve smelled gas for years almost every time I take a walk in College Park. I keep the number for Washington Gas on my cell phone & often call to report gas leaks, but the problem persists. Lately, problem spots have been 49th Ave between Delaware & Eerie, and the intersection of 49th Ave & Indian Lane. Recently there was a leak in front of my house. I reported it, and they sent someone to check it out. A few weeks after that they sent someone to mark the path of the gas line, and the marks came alarmingly close to a tree twice as tall as my house. Digging along that line would have been devastating. The man who painted the marks could not tell me whether digging would happen along those lines, or when any digging might happen. I called Washington Gas & could reach no one who could give me that information. I had to get City Council members and Steve Halpern involved to find out what was going on and whether my tree was in danger. That should not be necessary—I should be able to find out this kind of thing from Washington Gas without involving city officials. That said, when the men came to do the work, they were friendly & tolerant of my curiosity about the process & let me watch & take pictures, which I appreciated.
3. A.F. [Hollywood] – We’ve had gas leaks and major work here on 51st Terrace. The smell of gas was so potent I asked neighbors here and they said it’s been a years-long issue in our neighborhood. We smell what seems to be a gas leak regularly (probably at least once a week in the last couple of months) when outside of the house in Daniels Park. It was so bad we called it in a couple of weeks ago and they came out and their sensors didn’t pick up anything outside or indoors of our place. I find it interesting to know there’s been a general problem for a while.
4. K. H. [Oak Springs] We smell gas regularly on fox street. Washington has had fixed two leaks within ten feet of each other in two weeks, but it still smells of gas regularly.
5. E M [Hollywood] – I smelled it so strong at Fox and the Rhode Island service road a week or so ago while driving through.
6. E M [Hollywood] – There is a gas smell that comes and goes on Hollywood at 51st Ave. a leak was repaired on the street there a year or more ago.
7. E M [Hollywood] – I smell gas all over Hollywood/Daniels Park when walking the dog. It is really worrying how widespread the problem is.
8. T. L. [Oak Springs] – When walking, I often smell gas on the corner of 49th Place and Cherokee-not sure where it is coming from.
9. A. R. [Hollywood] There was a mercury leak inside the house back in 2020. Washington gas was called and informed and they ended up moving the meter from inside the home to outside. I’m guessing they had to redirect some things because they did some work underground which led to work on Mangum Rd. But ever since then, there’s always been a faint gas smell that comes and goes. It’s at the intersection of Mangum Rd and 52nd Avenue
10. T. D. [Hollywood] I have had several gas leaks on my street (Niagara pl) in the last few years they even dug up my driveway once
11. J.B. [Hollywood] In December 2020, I had a serious gas leak resulting in a new gas line being pushed to my house (9205 49th Avenue.) Last week, my neighbor at 9203 49th Avenue, had a gas leak but evidently not as severe. I asked the gas employee if the other homes on my side of the street (9201, 9203) could be checked since our respective houses were built at the same time. The employee understood my question but said that only houses that had a reported concern, can be checked. Perhaps this issue can be raised at the meeting. Thanks for asking.
12. J.F. [Hollywood] On my walks around the block, I routinely smell a gas leak from the vicinity of Indian Lane and the Rhode Island Ave service roadway on the west side of R.I. Ave. This location is marked with a red ‘X’ on the map below. Recently I reported to Washington Gas, a leak I smelled further west on Indian Lane, close to 4908 Indian Lane. That location is marked with an ‘O’ on the map below. I’m glad to see the City taking steps regarding gas leaks. It is not unusual to notice them when walking the neighborhood.
13. L.B. [Hollywood] We own a home in 49th place. We’ve moved, but when I was out on my front porch, I could faintly smell gas. Our son is currently staying in our College Park house full time. We are there frequently to visit and see our doctors and check on everything going on. College Park is still our primary residence. The last time I was there, I could still faintly smell the gas. When I questioned my son about it he told me the smell is much stronger as you enter the dead end street. I understand that the gas company is coming to speak to the council about the leaks in College Park. I would like our street to be put on the list of places you can smell gas. Thank you all for all that you do. It’s always been a pleasure talking and working with you for the good of College Park.
14. S.K. [Oaks Spring] I wanted to let you know that our street (Fox Street) has experienced a lot of gas leaks and our neighbors also noticed it as well. I did call Washington Gas on an emergency basis about 2 weeks ago and they came out to investigate the leak. I know the crew was working on our street for a few days but not sure it’s completely resolved as we still smell some gas outside. It’s been reported and hopefully, they have been able to resolve it. It’s right in front of our house 4900 block of Fox St. I showed Wash Gas where the leak was on the road so their crew was out there for a few days. I can still smell the gas today so maybe they still need to work on it.
15. M.S. [Hollywood] I have smelled leaking gas on three separate occasions on the 9700 block of Narragansett (west of the ditch, near Lackawanna), and called it into Washington Gas, which didn’t seem to do any good
16. C.D. [Hollywood] Just wanted to let you know I’ve smelled the natural gas smell you are referring to here on Fox St. Off & on over the years. Just last week I was driving down Fox towards Rhode Island & the smell was very noticeable. I have reported this to Washington Gas at least 2 or 3 times over the years & they have come to check it out but were unable to locate anything. Attributed the odor to sewer gasses.