City Utilities has been awarded $10 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to partially fund the Legacy Pipe Replacement Project. City Utilities is one of 37 utilities, in almost 20 states, that will receive a portion of the nearly $200 million in grant funding through the PHMSA program.
“This funding will allow CU to more rapidly replace aging natural gas infrastructure in the Zone 1 area of Springfield where older natural gas mains are scheduled for replacement,” said Gary Gibson, president, and CEO. “The safety and reliability of the natural gas system is critical, and the ability to replace mains without additional costs for our customers is an economical benefit for the entire community.”
“Across America, old natural gas pipes—some installed in the 1800s—pose a higher risk of serious injury and fatalities—in addition to being prone to leak harmful methane emissions—which have up to 80 times the global warming potential as carbon dioxide.” Said Linda Daugherty, Deputy Associate Administrator for Field Operations. “We’re excited about the ability of this program to help City Utilities improve the lives of Americans in your community, Missouri, and across the country.”
PHMSA grant funding will allow CU to replace approximately 11 miles of legacy gas main and associated services in the Zone – 1 area of the service territory. Phase -1 of the Legacy Pipe Replacement Program has approximately 39 miles of plastic main and services. CU will apply for additional funding to continue the replacement project in several Zone 1 locations of Springfield. Work on the project is expected to begin during the last quarter of 2023.