The gas service line from the street to the gas meter may be made of plastic. The plastic gas service line should be around ...... inches below ground level, but this may vary, depending on your jurisdiction. You should not see the plastic gas service line above the ground's surface. You may see a pipe (a metal riser) coming out of the ground and connecting to the gas meter. You may see a small wire wrapped around the service line that comes out of the ground next to the meter. This is called the tracer wire.