Excess Flow Valve Notification
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has recently revised Part 49 CFR 192.383 to require operators to give notice to all eligible customers the option to request an that Excess Flow Valve (EFV) be installed in their gas service line.
Pursuant to Section 22 of the Pipeline Safety, Regulator Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011, this final rule amends the Federal Pipeline Safety regulation by adding four new categories of service for which Excess Flow Valve installation will be required. These four new categories are for new and entirely replaced services. The existing EFV installation requirements (dated February 12, 2010) for Single Family Residences served by a single service line remains unchanged. The new categories of service are as follows:
- Branched service lines to a single family residence installed concurrently with the primary single family residence (a single EFV may be installed to protect both lines);
- Branched service lines to a single family residence installed off of a previously installed SFR service line that does not contain an EFV;
- Multifamily installations, including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and other small multifamily buildings (e.g., apartments, condominiums) with known customer loads at the time of installation, based on installed meter capactiy, up to 1,000 SCFH per service; and
- A single, small commercial customer served by a single service line, with a known customer load at time of service installation, based on installed meter capacity, of up to 1,000 SCFH per service.
An Excess Flow Valve (EFV) is a safety device designed to automatically shut off the flow of natural gas through a piping service line if it ruptures, thereby mitigating the impact of the rupture. As a safety device, EFV's are designed to automatically shut off the flow of natural gas if the service line between the EFV and the meter ruptures (this would include such things as excavation damage and vehicular damage up to the inlet side of a gas meter setting). They are not designed to shut off the flow of gas if the line breaks at the connection of an appliance in a residence or in the customer's piping system (interior or exterior) on the customer's side of the gas meter.
In general, Excess Flow Valves are an added optional safety device that has no effect on the gas flow resulting from a small leak, such as a leak caused by corrosion or a small crack. Furthermore, EFV's will not operate in respose to a leak within a building where gas service is provided. The valves are intedned to respond to line ruptures between the valve location and the inlet to the gas meter. EFV's do not prevent accidents; instead, they help mitigate the consequences of accidents where there has been a substantial or catastrophic line break.
Existing customers who wish to have an Excess Flow Valve installed in their gas service line will be responsible for the cost involved for the initial installation and for any future costs for maintaining and replacement of an EFV if it becomes necessary. The initial installation cost to have an EFV installed is $340.00 and future maintenance/repair cost will be from $340.00 to $450.00.
If you wish to have an Excess Flow Valve installed in your gas service line, please contact us and we will set up an installation at a mutually agreeable date.
***NOTE: If a service line to a single family residence was installed after February 2010, it more than likely has an EFV already installed. If you are considering having an EFV installed and are not sure if your service line has an existing EFV or if you have questions concerning the installation of an EFV, please feel free to contact us and we will gladly answer any questions that you may have.