Hydro Jetting in Accokeek, MD

Accokeek's mixed setup

Accokeek was rural tobacco country on the Potomac and is now mostly suburban, with a median home built in 1997. WSSC Water is the public water and sewer utility for Prince George's County, and its Piscataway wastewater treatment plant sits in Accokeek. But not every home here is on public sewer. The Moyaone Reserve west of Route 210 has individually designed mid-century homes on wooded lots of five acres or more, and other large-lot parcels may use private wells and onsite wastewater systems. It varies by address, so check whether you get a WSSC sewer bill before anything else.

That answer shapes the job. On public sewer, a plumber can jet the line from the house out toward the main. If the home uses a private onsite wastewater system, the plumber will usually clean only the building drain and the pipe leading to the tank, at a pressure and volume chosen not to disturb the system; the system itself is a separate matter. Prince George's County DPIE oversees wells and onsite sewage systems.

Jetting, snaking or repair?

Signs to watch for

• Several drains slowing down together
• Gurgling toilets when the washer drains
• Wet, soggy ground or odors along the line in the yard
• A line that has needed clearing more than once a year

Seasonal notes

Wooded lots mean roots, and roots grow hardest in spring and summer, so lines that clog in warm months are a classic sign. Heavy summer storms can also push groundwater into older or cracked lines. Fall is a practical time to have a slow line cleaned and looked at with a camera, before the ground freezes and before holiday cooking adds grease. In WSSC territory, plumbing permits and inspections, including work on natural gas and LP gas, go through WSSC Water.