The last section of pipe that carries natural gas to the customer’s meter is called the service lateral, or service line, and is typically a smaller-diameter pipe.

The service lateral carries natural gas from the distribution main to the gas meter located at or inside a structure. For most structures, natural gas is supplied by one service lateral. It can vary in size and can be made of copper, steel or plastic.

Pressure in gas service laterals varies depending on the load requirement and the size of the building. The normal delivery pressure for household use of natural gas is 0.25 psi and could be up to 2 psi.