Ellensburg utility outlines public awareness push to reduce third-party gas line damage

Darren Ussi, who identified himself as a City Gas Utility staff member, presented the utility's public awareness and damage-prevention program to the Ellensburg City Council on Nov. 3. He said the utility, established in 1956, serves roughly 5,200 customers across about 140 miles of mainline and a territory that extends beyond the city's urban growth area.

Ussi said the utility's distribution integrity management program (DIMP) ranks threats to the system and identified third-party excavation damage as the top risk. "The number one threat to our system is third party damages," he said, and said that focus drives the utility's outreach and education priorities, particularly promoting 811 locate requests before digging.

The utility described a recent overhaul of outreach materials, including posters, branded tents and handouts for community events, and partnerships for age-appropriate engagement (sandbox demos for children, giveaways and community events such as farmers markets and National Night Out). Ussi said the program uses audits, KPIs and periodic surveys to measure effectiveness; the 2024 survey showed 82.17% of respondents believed they had adequate knowledge about natural-gas safety.

In questions from council, staff clarified maintenance responsibility for service piping: "We cover everything to the meter," Ussi said, and he explained that piping beyond the meter and privately installed underground piping are the property owner's responsibility and not inspected by the utility.

Council members thanked staff for the presentation and for the community outreach work. No council action was required.