Unitil to Inspect Gas Meters at Homes of Hampton Beach Customers

🔴Many of the houses affected are summer homes closed for the season.

🔴If a meter appears, damaged service will be cut and the owner notified.

🔴Replacements will be done at no cost.

Following two significant flooding events in Hampton, representatives from Unitil will be inspecting natural gas meters and services in Hampton Beach on Sunday.

High tide on Wednesday and Saturday brought storm surges that inundated streets for several hours, which did not impact overall service but did submerge meters and regulators. Wet electrical wiring is hazardous, and flooding can be harmful to natural gas equipment, according to Unitil spokesman Alec O'Meara.

Seacoast Current

“We are taking this proactive step out of an abundance of caution, and wanted to notify residents at the beach we will be working in the area once it is determined it is safe to do so," O'Meara said in a statement.

Projected high tide level in Hampton Beach (NOAA the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service)

O'Meara said that approximately 2,500 services will be inspected, although many are shut off for the winter. Inspectors will be looking for meters located on the outside of buildings where it looks like water rose high enough to potentially cause an issue. If there is damage, service will be disconnected, a note will be left, and the customer will be further contacted by Unitil.

"In many of these cases, these will be homes that likely have other issues with internal appliances due to flooding as well and will need plumbing work before getting put back on anyway," O'Meara said in an email.

If a replacement is required, it will be done at no cost to the customer.

O'Meara said all Unitil employees carry identification. Residents who encounter a Unitil inspector can call 888-301-7700 to verify their employment.

NOAA's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service projects high tide to reach action level of nearly 10 feet through Wednesday morning. An action level means towns and agencies should be ready for possible mitigation.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via X (Twitter) @DanAlexanderNH