Pettis, Benton county gas pipeline nears completion

The installation of a natural gas pipeline in portions of Pettis and Benton counties is nearing completion, and natural gas service is expected to be available to local residents within the next month.

Missouri Gas Utility started construction in June on a 40-mile natural gas main distribution line to serve western Pettis County and northern Benton County, where propane has been the only gas option for years, District Manager Bret Brown said.

The project was constructed in three phases. The first phase included laying the steel pipeline from the main line connection point near Green Ridge down to the area surrounding Warsaw. The second set of crews focused on connecting the cities of Green Ridge, Lincoln and Cole Camp to the distribution line. The last zone worked solely on connections in Warsaw.

Brown said the pipeline is now in place, and the utility company started testing it this week. The northern 20 miles of the line will be tested first, followed by the southern half of the pipeline. The two segments will be connected after testing is completed, providing natural gas service to local residents sometime in November.

“In November, we’ll have live gas and we’ll start flowing it out to folks,” Brown said.

Officials from Pettis and Benton counties said while they have received some complaints from residents living along the pipeline’s route, they believe the availability of natural gas will be worth the short-term roadway issues.

Pettis County Road and Bridge Director Bret Manuel said some residents whose driveways or roads were uprooted during the installation of the pipeline have expressed frustration with the project. The contractor handling the construction work has been smoothing dirt down over the ditches where the line was installed, but Manuel said his crews cannot grate the roadways until gravel is laid down to cover the roads.

But aside from normal maintenance on some roadways, no Pettis County road projects have been delayed as a result of the pipeline, Manuel said.

Pettis County Western Commissioner Larry Wilson said crews have been replacing rock over the construction areas, but the roads are not quite in the same condition as they were before construction started.

As part of the agreement between Missouri Gas Utility and Pettis and Benton counties for the use of county right of ways, the company is required to provide maintenance on the pipeline for the next five years, or the counties can draw from a $50,000 permit bond to pay for road work it does along the lines.

“When they tell us they are finished, we’re going to go inspect it and make sure it is up to our standards,” Wilson said.

Benton County Northern Commissioner Walter Schumacher Jr. said Benton County officials have also heard from some concerned residents about issues with the construction, but most people recognize the pipeline’s long-term benefits.

Schumacher said residents of four towns, along with several rural turkey and chicken farms, will have access to natural gas after having propane as their only option.

“At times, it doesn’t seem like it’s going fast enough, but for the most part they are making a concentrated effort to try to do what’s right,” Schumacher said. “We don’t have everybody happy, but I hope the end justifies the means.”

Brown said the recent rain and wet weather have been a challenge for crews installing the pipeline. The company hired five graters this week to begin returning county roadways to the condition they were in before work on the pipeline started.

“We have a lot of cleaning up left to do, but we are not going to stop until the cleanup is done,” Brown said.
Despite a few frustrated residents, Brown said the support of the communities and counties through which the pipeline runs has been overwhelmingly positive. Many more people have already signed up for natural gas services than Missouri Gas Utility expected even after the pipeline is up and running, Brown said.