Plumbers in Fairfax, VA

City or county: check the line

Fairfax is a small independent city, a town from 1874 and a city since 1961, that is legally separate from Fairfax County yet still serves as its seat. The city had 24,146 residents in the 2020 Census and sits about 16 miles west of downtown Washington in a straight line. Old Town Fairfax holds the historic core, Fairfax Boulevard (U.S. 50/29), Main Street (Route 236), Route 123 and I-66 run through or past it, and George Mason University sits just to the south. Most of ZIP codes 22030 to 22033 outside the city limits are unincorporated county, so a Fairfax address doesn't always mean the city.

Water

Fairfax Water serves the city and the surrounding county, drawing from the Potomac River at its Corbalis plant and the Occoquan Reservoir at its Griffith plant; the city lists Fairfax Water (703-698-5800, which also takes after-hours emergencies) as its water contact. Chloramines are normally used from July through March and free chlorine from about April through June. Fairfax Water's analyses describe moderately hard water near 7.5 grains per gallon on average at Corbalis, and its Lead Free Fairfax survey asks owners to report their side of the service line.

Sewer: city inside, county outside

Inside city limits, the City of Fairfax Department of Public Works handles wastewater; call 703-385-7810, or 703-385-7924 after hours and in emergencies. In unincorporated areas, Fairfax County runs one of the country's largest sanitary sewer systems, with a 24-hour line at 703-323-1211. In the county, the owner is responsible for blockages in the private building lateral all the way to the county sewer, including the connection, and the county doesn't locate private laterals.

Permits

For a house inside the city, plumbing permit applications go to the City's Fire Department and Code Administration at 10455 Armstrong Street, Room 208 (703-385-7830). For a county address, Fairfax County Land Development Services issues Household Appliance permits, required for gas water heater replacements even like for like and paired with a chimney vent certification for fuel-burning appliances, and Residential Plumbing permits for new gas piping, through PLUS (703-222-0801).

Backflow

Fairfax Water's cross-connection program runs jointly with Fairfax County and, inside the city, with the City of Fairfax Fire Department and Code Administration. Testable assemblies on lawn irrigation, in-ground pools, directly connected hot tubs and fire sprinklers must be tested at installation, after repair or relocation and at least once a year by a DPOR-certified Backflow Prevention Device Worker on the county's Authorized Vendor List, who files the report online. Installing or replacing an irrigation assembly needs a plumbing permit.

Homes, gas and the DC comparison

The median home in the Fairfax area dates to about 1967, so original-era piping and drains are common. Washington Gas serves most of the area. If you smell gas, leave right away, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1. Compared with the District's single set of agencies, Fairfax splits sewer and permits between city and county. Call with your address and the problem, and you will be connected with an independent plumber who sets price and timing with you.