The Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) has begun work to upgrade 16 miles of aging gas pipelines in the city.

Workers from the company will replace older gas pipes with new durable plastic or coated steel piping. New pipes will reduce possibility of methane leaks, enable installation of excess flow valves on service lines, and improve reliability.

Excess flow valves reduce gas flow when a pipe is damaged. Elevated pressure of the new gas mains will better support high-efficiency appliances like furnaces and water heaters.

“These upgrades are part of PSE&G’s three-year program to replace up to 510 miles of aging gas infrastructure throughout New Jersey,” said Joe Forline, vice president of gas operations for PSE&G. “We are working closely with municipal officials and the department of public works to coordinate construction schedules and are committed to keeping customers in Paterson informed about where and when the work will take place.”

PSE&G began work to upgrade the 16 miles of gas pipelines in the city on Monday. Crews work Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The project is expected to be completed by November 2016. The repaving and restoration of opened roads will be completed in spring of 2017.

“City residents and businesses will benefit from the work PSE&G is doing to upgrade our gas system,” Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres said. “These infrastructure improvements will ensure that we have safe and reliable natural gas to serve the needs of all Paterson residents.”

PSE&G will notify residents about work being done on their street by phone, mail, door hangers, and social media.

Find a list of streets where PSE&G will replace pipelines by clicking here.