Sewer crews inspect for cross-bores in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Odds are, you may not know what’s going on with your gas or sewer lines but New Mexico Gas Company’s new effort is aimed at ensuring the two aren’t causing issues for your home.

Crews are concerned about cross-bores that occur when gas pipes are unintentionally installed through sewer pipes. If the gas pipe is damaged, there could be issues.

“Sometimes if there’s a blockage in the sewer line, you may call a plumber or somebody to come and fix it. A lot of times in the industry, they use these tools that involve cutting tools. Normally they are cutting through roots and if they were to breach a natural gas line, it would create a leak and there’s potential for a very high hazard situation,” said Tim Korte, the manager of communications for the New Mexico Gas Company.

The 20-year project is being done throughout Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Los Lunas. Crews were also in Silver City for two years, then moved on to Roswell for the next two years, going from home to home to inspect the sewer lines and make repairs.

“These guys work outside the home. We send a notification letter to all the neighborhoods that are being inspected before they get there,” Korte said. “So, if you have concerns, you can always call if you want to be home. The homeowner doesn’t need to be there and, if they would prefer to be there, we can make an appointment to come to your house.”

“And again, this is just a precautionary inspection to make sure there’s not a potentially hazardous situation in your home and we want our customers to be safe,” Korte added.

If any natural gas lines are found to be damaged or intersecting with sewer lines, crews will report it to the New Mexico Gas Company and they will make plans for repairs.