HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-047 - Gas Site Inspection - Complete
REPORT TO:
Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
May 6, 2013
SUBMITTED BY:
Wally Malcolm, Director of Utilities x4538
PREPARED BY: Wally Malcolm, Director of Utilities x4538
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
5
DATE OF REPORT:
April 30, 2013
REPORT NO.: INS-13-047
SUBJECT: GAS SITE INSPECTION
RECOMMENDATION: That staff be directed to proceed with a gas site inspection
program, outlined in staff report INS-13-047, for the residential area shown in Appendix
A.
BACKGROUND:
An explosion and fire destroyed a two-storey home on Jan. 27, 2013. On Wednesday, February
27, 2013, the Kitchener Fire Department, Kitchener Utilities and the City of Kitchener building
division shared up-to-date details about the incident during a community open house held at
W.T. Townshend School.
The priority has been to reassure area residents that an incident similar to the one on January
27, 2013 is very rare and out of the norm. Homeowners should be rest assured their homes are
safe, and that responsible fire prevention and home maintenance practices are the best
measures for keeping homes safe.
Kitchener Utilities and the Technical Standards and Safety Association (TSSA) have checked all
the natural gas supply lines in the neighbourhood. No problems or concerns were found during
the inspections.
REPORT:
Kitchener Utilities takes pride in being Kitchener’s community-owned natural gas utility and is
committed to giving back to the community and keeping customer’s concerns top of mind.
The City of Kitchener and Kitchener Utilities would like to reassure the area residents, closely
impacted by the incident, that the natural gas service in their homes is safe. As result,
Kitchener Utilities has developed a gas inspection program for approximately 800 homes. The
City of Kitchener will hire an independent contractor to conduct a free natural gas leak
inspection on the natural gas meters and piping within the designated homes. The testing will
take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The program is voluntary and there will be no
charge to the residents for utilizing the gas inspection program.
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ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The gas site inspection program aligns with the strategic foundation of effective and efficient
government – communications and customer service. Good customer service, within the
corporation, responds to the changing needs and expectations of stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Funding will be provided from the 2013 Utilities marketing budget. The estimated cost to
complete the gas site inspections is approximately $35,000. Kitchener Utilities will reprioritize
other marketing programs to fund the program.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
A letter will be sent to all residents in the area that are entitled to a free inspection. The
residential area will be grouped into four zones where each zone will have a designated
th
weekend for completing the inspection. The recommendation is to mail the letters on May 10
th
with the first inspections to commence the May 25 weekend. Residents who are interested in
the free inspection will be asked to complete an online form at a specific url address at
Kitchener.ca, or call the Communications hot line # and leave a message. Residents who would
like the inspection but are not available during their designated weekend will be asked to
contact the City for an alternate weekend. Residents who have questions on the program are to
call the Communications hot line# and leave a message. A City representative will return the
call to discuss the specifics of the program and answer any questions.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services
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