Board told pipeline installation collapsed a legal drain; repairs delayed by missing utility locates

Clinton County officials told the drainage board on April 21 that a hole discovered last fall in the State Road 28 right-of-way was tied to a pipeline installation from roughly 18 years earlier and has damaged a legal drain.

Board members said CenterPoint had committed to repair the collapsed tile last fall but the company postponed repairs; the board was told contractors planned to begin work once utility locates are completed. “They were going to fix it last fall. Didn’t get to it. Going to fix it in the winter. Didn’t get to it,” a board speaker said. The transcript records that Comcast had not responded to 811 locate tickets, which prevented excavation.

The contractor on record (Patton Construction) told the board it will bring a second contractor to help move the line and will excavate to assess whether to lower or raise the pipeline. The transcript references the pipe as an eight-inch gas line and notes that excavation will require pulling the pipe back a considerable distance.

Board members said they were monitoring the situation and expected contractors to proceed with repairs after utilities are located.