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San Luis Obispo

SoCalGas Repairs Three Downtown SLO Gas Leaks

A routine leak survey found three locations needing immediate repair after a series of gas leaks in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Utilities

Photograph of an excavated street trench exposing utility pipe beside orange traffic cones, with low-rise stucco buildings and dry hills in the background.
SoCalGas crews repaired three gas leaks found during a routine survey in downtown San Luis Obispo after a fourth leak was caused by construction damage to a residential line. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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SoCalGas repaired three gas leaks discovered in downtown San Luis Obispo during a routine leak survey that ran from October 7 through November 6. The City of San Luis Obispo responded to a fourth leak caused by accidental damage to a residential gas line during construction.

Why it matters

Four gas leaks within about one month prompted evacuations, street closures and the cancellation of the Downtown SLO Farmers' Market in San Luis Obispo. The survey indicates the natural gas system continues to operate normally, with no additional leaks identified.

SoCalGas's latest leak survey covered nearly 17,000 feet of gas infrastructure on an annual inspection cycle and 500 feet on a five-year cycle, identifying three locations requiring immediate repairs. Whether additional infrastructure in the city will require similar work has not been stated.

The players

SoCalGas

Southern California Gas Company is a regulated natural gas utility serving millions of customers across Southern California, including San Luis Obispo.

The details

The first three leaks were found during the survey, which SoCalGas conducts under state and federal regulations. The problems included a cracked pipe connection, a leak where a gas line connects to a main pipe, and a leaking cap that needed replacement. The October 8 leak on Higuera Street forced evacuations and street closures, while the November 5 leak in the 400 block of Pismo Street was caused by accidental damage to a residential gas line during construction work.

Timeline

  1. October 7: SoCalGas leak survey begins.

  2. October 8: Higuera Street gas leak forces evacuations and closures.

  3. October 27: Monterey Street gas leak reported.

  4. November 3: Court Street gas leak reported.

  5. November 5: Pismo Street gas line damaged during construction.

Industry Context

The leaks were found through the routine annual and five-year inspection cycles required under state and federal pipeline safety rules. This places the discoveries within the regular compliance process that utilities follow to detect problems before they escalate.

Residents and businesses in downtown San Luis Obispo may see crews and temporary disruptions during the permanent repair work scheduled for mid-November. The natural gas system continues to operate normally, so service has not been reported as interrupted.

The takeaway

Routine leak surveys are the mechanism that caught these problems before they caused more harm, and residents who smell gas should report it promptly. Staying informed about scheduled utility work helps residents plan around temporary disruptions.

What happens next

Permanent repair work is expected to begin Monday night, November 16, and wrap up by Wednesday night, November 18.

Further reading

Explore more local coverage in the Utilities section for context on infrastructure and service issues in San Luis Obispo.

Source note: This article includes information reported by KSBY.

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