Town of Andover Provides Update on Gas Emergency Recovery Process

ANDOVER –The Town of Andover wishes to provide residents and business owners with several key updates regarding the town’s ongoing recovery and restoration efforts following last month’s Merrimack Valley Gas Emergency.

In order for gas service to be restored, homes must be both house ready, with assessments done and in-home repairs complete, and gas ready, with main gas lines and home service lines replaced, and new meters installed.

Columbia Gas has today released its “Gas Ready Construction Plan” detailing plans and offering schedules for the restoration of service to thousands of affected gas customers in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence.

Click here to download the entire report as a PDF file.

A total of 2,038 gas meters are in the affected zone in Andover. Columbia Gas reports that 43 construction crews are working in Andover today.

Assessment Process

All gas customers will need an assessment of their homes, including gas lines and appliances. Crews wearing identification continue to fan out across neighborhoods. More than 1,800 assessments have been completed across the three communities, representing about one-third of the assessment work needed in Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence to date.

The following streets are scheduled for assessments today:

Argyle Street
Arundel Street
Balmoral Street
Burnham Road
Carisbrooke Street
Castle Heights Road
Celia Street
Enmore Street
Haverhill Street
Joyce Terrace
Juliette Street
Linwood Street
McKenney Circle
N. Main Street
Topping Road
Walker Avenue
York Street

For the most up to date information from Columbia Gas on the streets where assessment teams will be deployed, click here.

The assessment will include the following steps:

First, the assessors will evaluate and inventory gas-fueled appliances. Specifically, representatives will evaluate the furnace or boiler for repairs and inventory for replacement of gas water heaters and all other gas-fueled appliances. Photos will be taken so that Columbia Gas can replace gas-fueled appliances with like kind and quality appliances.
Second, Columbia Gas will pressure test in-home gas piping to see if it is damaged.
Finally, if a resident has not yet had a space heat assessment, an assessment of the electrical capacity of the home will be performed. If the home has the electrical capacity to safely support a space heater, the assessment teams will provide one during the visit. If needed, Columbia will install smoke alarms/CO detectors.

Click here to download the complete FAQ

Click here to download a briefing packet on this process that was provided to the city and town governments from Columbia Gas.

Andover is deploying town resources each day to support the assessment effort and assist residents.

Construction Schedule

No gas venting is taking place in Andover today.

Columbia Gas has provided the Town of Andover with a construction schedule that outlines when gas line repair work will occur, with the goal of making streets and homes “gas ready.”

The preliminary maps below indicate the timeline for when work will begin to make streets gas ready. These maps are subject to change.

Relief Fund

The Essex County Community Foundation announced today that the application process will open on Wednesday, Oct. 3 for residents and businesses seeking funding and services from the Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund.

The Fund –– established by Governor Charlie Baker, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, and Andover and North Andover Town Managers Andrew Flanagan and Andrew Maylor on Sept. 18 –– was opened with a $10 million contribution from Columbia Gas and fundraising efforts continue by ECCF. Donations raised by ECCF’s Lawrence Emergency Fund are being combined towards this humanitarian relief effort. One hundred percent of these funds, currently over $10.85 million, will support the relief efforts and those who have been directly affected by this tragedy.

Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 3, the application process for the Fund’s financial resources will be open and those in the impacted area may apply in three ways, all of which are available in both English and Spanish:

Online at www.GLDRF.org (link will be live October 3, this is the fastest and easiest way to apply)
Over the phone by dialing 2-1-1, for those who cannot apply online
In person for anyone in need of assistance at Andover’s drop-in center.

Old Town Hall – 20 Main Street, Andover
Wednesday, Oct. 3 – Noon – 8:00pm
Thursday, Oct. 4 – Noon – 8:00pm
Friday, Oct. 5 – Noon – 8:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 6 – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 7 – Closed
Monday, Oct. 8 – Closed
Tuesday, Oct. 9 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 10 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 11 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 12 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 13 – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

While residents and businesses are encouraged to apply online, they will be notified within 3-5 business days regarding the status of their application regardless of which method they use to apply for assistance.

Resources from the Fund will support the short and long-term shelter and sustenance needs of the more than 10,000 household units and businesses affected by the 7,500 Columbia Gas meters on the low-pressure lines in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. Thousands of residents and businesses in these communities have been without gas since Sept. 13, when gas fires and explosions from over-pressurized gas lines destroyed homes and neighborhoods.

A complete restoration of gas service will be complete by Nov. 19.

Volunteers are needed to support this application process and the Drop-In locations. To find out more about volunteer roles needed:

Andover, North Andover or South Lawrence sites: visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/GLDRFVolunteer

For more information about the Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund and the process to apply for financial resources, please visit www.eccf.org/GLDisasterReliefFund.

Small Business Loan Program

Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera, North Andover Town Manager Andrew Maylor and Andover Town Manager Flanagan late last week announced a $1 million emergency loan program for businesses impacted by the gas emergency.

The fund will offer emergency loans to eligible businesses with no payments and no interest for the first six months. For businesses that extend beyond a six month period, market rates will apply and loans will be able to be extended or restructured for multi-year term loans.

The fund opened Oct. 1, and has an expedited application and approval process, with the goal of getting all applications processed within 24 and 48 hours.

For more information visit: www.wearelawrence.org/lawrencegasresponsebusiness.

Attorney General Hotline

Attorney General Maura Healey’s office has established a hotline for those with questions and concerns. Residents and business owners may contact the Attorney General’s new hotline at 617-573-5370 in order to connect with specialists in the office who are able to handle questions about legal representation, home improvement scams, and insurance claims from homeowners, renters, and local businesses.

Andover Elder Services Lunch Program

Andover Elder Services is continuing its lunch program. The lunch is available for those age 60 or order for a suggested donation of $2.50 or for those under age 60 for a cost of $4.50.

Elder Services is also offering the following FREE food programs this month:

Coffee, Tea and a Daily Snack: Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Soup Nights, Thursdays from 5-6 p.m. (RSVP requested)

Regardless of age, anyone affected by the gas emergency is encouraged to reach out to Andover Elder Services at 978-623-8321 for assistance and free/discounted meals.

Programs take place at the Andover Senior Center, 30 Whittier Court.

Town officials will continue to provide regular updates as they’re made available.

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