Residents who spot a white SUV with flashing lights creeping down their street or alley late at night over the next few days do not need to call police. Atmos Energy is checking Denison's natural gas lines for leaks.
The city announced Wednesday that Atmos crews and contractors will run a mobile leak detection survey in Denison from Thursday, Oct. 8, through Saturday, Oct. 10. According to a flyer the city shared, the vehicles will be on the road from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., and the work covers Denison and surrounding areas.
The survey vehicles carry equipment that measures methane in the air and maps where a plume is coming from. Atmos says the units are driven slowly at night so the readings come out accurate. They will be marked with an Atmos Energy logo or a "Utility Contractor" label, the city said.
The flyer lists Atmos Energy's Mid-Tex Division and the contractors Heath Consultants and Southern Cross as the crews involved, and says city officials and first responders have been told about the work.
What happens if a leak turns up
Crews will investigate any leak the survey finds and assign it a grade. A Grade 1 leak, which Atmos classifies as hazardous, gets immediate action to remove the danger. Grade 2 and Grade 3 leaks are watched and scheduled for repair under state and federal rules, the city said.
