The Holland Board of Public Works does not provide natural gas service to customers. However the Holland Board of Public Works owns and operates a natural gas pipeline that traverses a portion of Allegan County. The pipeline route is marked in the field with pipeline markers bearing the name and emergency telephone number of the Holland Board of Public Works.

This pipeline is a transmission line only, supplying natural gas to our three electric generating turbines at our 48th Street Generation Station. We do not supply natural gas to residences or businesses. 

We inject an odorant into the gas before it enters the populated area of south Holland. In its natural state, natural gas is colorless and odorless. The odorant within the gas creates a smell similar to rotten eggs.  This odor is distinctive and unpleasant, which makes gas leaks easier to detect.

Safety Measures

The Holland Board of Public Works maintains a robust Operations and Maintenance Program for the gas pipeline, which includes periodic pipeline patrols, cathodic protection checks, and internal line inspections to verify the condition of the pipeline.

We supplement our comprehensive maintenance procedures with an Integrity Management Plan.  This program provides for a greater protection in High Consequence Areas, where a leak or rupture could do the most harm (e.g., public areas, where people live, work or play). We manage the integrity of our systems by identifying, assessing and mitigating the risk of a leak.

The most likely threat to our natural gas pipeline is from third party damage due to contact with the pipe during excavation. The Holland Board of Public Works participates in the MISS DIG one-call system. Any excavation projects anticipated in the area of the pipeline should be called into this system at least 3 working days prior to digging. This procedure includes any excavations --- small homeowner projects, up to large commercial/industrial digs.