College Park is on WSSC Water, which is responsible for the service line where it connects to the main, while the homeowner owns the run from the property line into the house. If that private section leaks, a plumber does the repair. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in College Park.
College Park at a glance
The city mixes early 20th-century neighborhoods like Calvert Hills and Old Town with postwar blocks and newer apartments near the University of Maryland, and the median home was built in 1979. Older houses here are the ones most likely to still have galvanized steel or early copper feeding the house. WSSC runs a What's Your Pipe Type? program and an online inventory map that shows the service line material on record for an address, and it says some customer-side galvanized lines require replacement.
What to do now
- If water is gushing, close the main shutoff, usually in the basement near the front wall.
- Turn off the irrigation system and any outdoor hoses.
- Read the meter, wait several minutes with everything off and read it again.
- If water is coming up in the street or at the meter, call WSSC Water's Emergency Services Center at 301-206-4002.
- If the wet area is between the property line and the house, call a plumber to pinpoint it before anyone digs.
- Landlords and student renters: tell the property owner right away, since the private line is the owner's responsibility.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Soft, wet strip across the front yard | Leak on the customer-owned service line |
| Water at the curb or meter box | Possible WSSC-side leak; report it to WSSC |
| Low pressure at every tap | Corroded galvanized line or a failing main shutoff or pressure reducer |
| Meter moving, yard dry | Leak inside the house or under the basement floor |
| Damp basement wall at the pipe entry | Leak where the line passes through the foundation |
What drives the cost
- Pipe material. Replacing an old galvanized run is a bigger job than fixing a single copper joint.
- Yard length and obstacles. Mature trees, steps and retaining walls common in the older neighborhoods slow the work.
- Digging method. Trenchless pulling can reduce lawn damage where soil and layout allow.
- Interior access. A finished basement at the entry point adds wall or floor work.
- Permits. WSSC Water permits and inspects plumbing in Prince George's County, and service line work must be done by a plumber holding a WSSC license.
Water Line Repair questions in College Park
Is galvanized pipe a reason to replace the line?
Should I call the water utility or a plumber first?
Can a failing service line drop the pressure everywhere in the house?
Will a utility locate request mark my private water line?
More plumbing services in College Park
Water Line Repair nearby
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