Water Line Repair in Fort Washington, MD

Fort Washington in brief

This Potomac riverfront community stayed rural until about 1960 and is now suburban, with a median home built around 1980. Lots in Tantallon and along the river can be large and wooded, which means long service lines, sloping yards and mature roots. WSSC Water provides water and sewer here, with customer service at 301-206-4001 and an emergency number, 301-206-4002, for water flowing in the street. WSSC adds orthophosphate to the water as a corrosion inhibitor that coats pipe interiors, including customer plumbing, and it removed all known lead pipe from its distribution system in the early 2000s.

What to do now

1. Shut the main valve inside the house if water is running hard or entering the basement.
2. Switch off irrigation, especially on larger lots with long sprinkler runs.
3. Check the meter with everything off; movement confirms a leak past the meter.
4. Water rising at the meter or in the road: call WSSC at 301-206-4002.
5. Wet ground or seepage on your lot: call a plumber to find the exact spot.
6. Look up your address on WSSC's service line inventory map at wsscwater.com/LCR-map to see the recorded pipe material.

Symptoms and what they usually mean

Cost factors

• Run length. Deep riverfront and wooded lots mean longer lines.
• Slope and trees. Grades and roots make excavation slower.
• Repair versus replacement. One failed fitting is far quicker than a new line.
• Restoration. Driveways, retaining walls and landscaping add time.
• Permit. Prince George's County issues no plumbing permits; WSSC does, and its rules call for a plumber holding a WSSC license.

Before any digging, the plumber should confirm the leak's position with listening gear or a pressure test so the excavation is as small as possible. On a long riverfront lot, that step alone can save a lot of lawn and a good part of the bill.