The sight of plows and workers trenching to install a natural gas line at the Chaparral Mobile Home Park was a relief for residents. They have been waiting for 12 days for the gas to be turned on.

“We have no gas, we have no hot water, we can’t go wash because there’s no hot water and the dryers don’t work because there’s no gas,” said Mary Ruiz, a tenant.

As KFOX reported, the problem started with gas leaks at the trailer park, but now the underground installation needs to change to individual gas meters.

Texas Gas Service officials said they will introduce natural gas again as soon as the property owner gets a licensed plumber to run lines from each individual trailer.

To make matters worse, on Friday, the workers accidentally hit a water line, and water had to be shut off for hours in the morning.

“We couldn’t bathe our kids; we couldn’t use the restroom,” said another tenant, Cecilia Bouchelli.

Some of these residents have been living at the Chaparral Mobile Home Park for decades and haven’t had complaints, until now. They said having no natural gas has not only been an inconvenience but it’s become a health issue.

“You have kids that are getting sicker. There’s no concern for the community here; families aren’t eating well,” said Bouchelli.

“Without gas, they don’t have any hot water so they can’t bathe, they can’t wash their clothes; in some cases they’re not able to cook. So, it’s a potential health hazard,” said building inspector Tom Maguire.

Maguire said the residents should not be living in those conditions. He said he understands that relocating the residents can be a great hardship, but he believes if they don’t get gas soon, a temporary relocation is needed.

Maguire is planning to have a meeting with his supervisor and the land owner to see if the process can be sped up.

Maguire also said city building inspectors will call on other agencies to step up and help the residents.

Copyright 2007 by KFOXTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.