If a pipe breaks or drains back up in an Accokeek home, shut off the water at the main or at the well pump, and if you smell gas or propane, leave the house before calling. Water and sewer service in Accokeek varies by address, so the right street-side contact depends on whether your home is on WSSC Water or its own systems. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Accokeek.
Local conditions in Accokeek
Accokeek was rural tobacco country on the Potomac and is now mostly suburban, but it still has large wooded lots, including the Moyaone Reserve west of Route 210, where mid-century homes sit on lots of five acres or more. Water and sewer service varies by address here. Many homes are WSSC Water customers, whose emergency line is 301-206-4002; others may rely on a private well or a private onsite wastewater system. Your water bill, or the lack of one, tells you which applies.
Gas varies too. Some homes have natural gas, others use propane or are all-electric. For any gas smell, leave first, then call 911 and your gas utility or propane supplier from outside. WSSC Water issues permits for and inspects both natural gas and LP gas installations in Prince George's County, so a propane water heater replacement also needs a WSSC permit and a qualified gasfitter. The median home was built in 1997, newer than much of the county.
Who to call for what
| Problem | Public water and sewer | Private well or onsite system |
|---|---|---|
| No water at all | Ask neighbors; if they're out too, call WSSC | Check the well pump breaker, then call a plumber |
| Burst pipe inside | Close the main, call a plumber | Switch off the well pump, call a plumber |
| Every drain backing up | Plumber, or WSSC if a manhole overflows | Stop water use and call a plumber about the line to the tank |
| Gas or propane smell | Leave, then 911 and the gas utility | Leave, then 911 and the propane supplier |
Signs of trouble
- A well pump that runs constantly or cycles on and off when no tap is open
- Water spreading from a supply line, valve or water heater
- Gurgling in the lowest drains and sewage odors indoors
- A wet, soft area in the yard along the water line route
Timing and seasons
Hard freezes hit pipes in crawlspaces, garages, well houses and exterior walls, and long lines to outbuildings are especially exposed. Disconnect hoses and protect the pressure tank area before winter. During long power outages, homes on wells lose water, so keep a few jugs on hand. Heavy summer storms can saturate the ground and slow drainage around private onsite systems; cut back on laundry and showers until the ground dries.
Emergency Plumber questions in Accokeek
Our home may be on a well or not on municipal sewer. Who helps in an emergency?
Our home uses propane instead of utility gas. What changes in a leak?
How do I find out which water utility serves my address?
The whole house lost water at once. Is it my plumbing or the utility?
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