Inside the City of Fairfax, the City runs the sewers and its Code Administration issues plumbing permits, while Fairfax Water supplies the water. Many Fairfax-addressed buildings outside city limits are in Fairfax County instead. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Fairfax.
The City of Fairfax
Fairfax is a small independent city and the county seat, with a redeveloped Old Town and George Mason University just to the south. The median home was built in 1967, so many older commercial and rental buildings have decades-old drains and valves. Most of ZIPs 22030 to 22033 outside city limits are unincorporated Fairfax County.
What to do now
- Stop the water. Close the nearest valve or the main shutoff.
- Gas smell? Get everyone out, then call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1, from outside.
- Sewage coming up? Inside the city, call City wastewater services at 703-385-7810, or 703-385-7924 after hours and in emergencies. Outside city limits, call Fairfax County at 703-323-1211.
- Water main or meter problem? Fairfax Water answers at 703-698-5800, including after hours.
- Protect people and property. Block off wet floors and move stock or records out of harm's way.
- Get a plumber on the way. Say whether the building is inside the city or in the county.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Backups in an older Old Town building | Root intrusion or a cracked section of the lateral |
| Short hot water in a rental building | Aging heater, failed element or heavy sediment |
| Noisy pipes when fixtures close | Water hammer or a failing pressure regulator |
| Wet ceiling under restrooms | Leaking supply, flush valve or drain joint |
| Backflow device failing its test | Worn check or relief components |
Backflow follows the Fairfax Water program, run in the city with the City of Fairfax Fire Department and Code Administration: testable assemblies are tested at installation, after repair or relocation, and at least annually by a DPOR-certified tester on Fairfax County's Authorized Vendor List, who submits the report online. Installing or replacing an irrigation assembly needs a plumbing permit.
Cost factors
- Whether the building is inside the city or in the county, which sets the permit office
- Plumbing permits through Code Administration, 10455 Armstrong Street (703-385-7830)
- Age of the piping and how much has to be opened up
- Night and weekend scheduling
- Camera inspection of older laterals before any digging
- Backflow repair parts and the retest
Commercial Plumbing questions in Fairfax
Does a local mailing address mean the town or the county handles our permits?
Who do we call first when a sewer backup might be coming from the street?
Who is qualified to test a backflow assembly at a commercial property?
Do HOAs, apartment owners and property managers use this service?
More plumbing services in Fairfax
Commercial Plumbing nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
- Fairfax County: utility and cable providers
- City of Fairfax: wastewater services
- City of Fairfax: plumbing permit application
- Fairfax County LDS: cross connections and backflow prevention
- Fairfax Water: cross-connection control and backflow prevention
- Fairfax County Wastewater Management
- Washington Gas: safety and the emergency leak line
- Fairfax housing by year built
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