Gas smell or water main break: who owns the line

After a flood, the ground shifts and people start smelling things. Rot, sewage, and true natural gas get mixed in tired noses.

If it smells like rotten eggs at the house or the meter, treat it as gas. Get out. Do not flip switches.

A water main break is a different desk. The city, a municipal utility district, or a private well community may own the street line. You own a lot of what is after the meter.

Do this now

1. If you smell gas, leave the building, take people and pets, and call 911 from outside.
2. Do not turn lights on or off, and do not start a car in an attached garage.
3. For a water geyser in the street, call 311 in the city or your MUD / county number if you are outside Houston.
4. Shut your own water valve only if you can reach it on dry ground and you know it is your valve.

Gas: CenterPoint’s side

CenterPoint owns most of the gas distribution around Houston. A tilted meter, a hiss, or dead vegetation in a stripe near the service can be their problem.

Once you are outside, you can also report to CenterPoint. Confirm the gas emergency number on their site. 713-207-2222 is the widely published company line; verify it before you rely on it.

If the smell is only inside after you already had sewage in the house, it may be drain gas. Still leave if you are not sure. Being wrong outside is fine.

Water: city, MUD, or you

City of Houston Public Works owns a huge share of mains inside the city. Unincorporated pockets often sit in a MUD or a water authority. The bill stub tells you who.

A break in the street is theirs. A break between the meter and the house is often yours. A bubbling cleanout is sewage, which is another problem, and you should not cap it with a rag and hope.

Photograph the geyser with a street sign. Then get the kids off the yard. That water is not a splash pad.

Do this next

1. 911 vs non-emergency vs 311 after a Houston flood
2. Coast Guard / swift-water rescue: when to dial
3. Shelters & evacuation hub

More in Who to call right now.