Plumbers in Germantown, MD

A planned suburb on the I-270 corridor

Germantown sits in upper Montgomery County roughly 23 miles from downtown Washington in a straight line. It has no town government of its own; Montgomery County runs it. The 2020 Census counted 91,249 people here, and the community grew from farmland into a planned layout of a downtown and six villages, with neighborhoods such as Gunners Lake, Kingsview and Clopper's Mill strung along I-270, Maryland Route 118, Route 355, Middlebrook Road and Clopper Road. A WSSC sewer line finished in 1974 is what opened the area up for that growth.

Homes from the 1980s and 1990s

In ZIP 20874 the biggest share of homes went up in the 1980s, and fewer than one in five predates 1980. That age profile shapes the calls: original water heaters and their replacements, worn shutoff valves, toilet and faucet rebuilds, and drain lines that have had decades to collect roots and grease. Townhouse rows mean a leak in one unit can show up next door, so speed matters.

Water, sewer and hardness

WSSC Water treats Potomac River water at its Potomac plant and Patuxent River reservoir water (Triadelphia and T. Howard Duckett) at its Patuxent plant, and disinfects with residual chlorine. Its tap water analysis puts Potomac plant water around 140 mg/L of hardness and Patuxent plant water around 64 mg/L, so scale is a moderate concern rather than a constant one. For a main break or a sewer problem in the street, WSSC's Emergency Service Center is 301-206-4002; customer service is 301-206-4001 on weekdays.

Permits and backflow

In Montgomery County most plumbing jobs and every gas job, including a gas water heater or furnace swap, must be done by a plumber or gasfitter who holds a WSSC Water license, under a permit pulled through WSSC ePermitting (Permit Services, 301-206-4003). The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (240-777-0311) covers building permits. If you have lawn irrigation, its testable backflow assembly needs a field test every year by a WSSC-certified cross-connection technician, and a reduced-pressure assembly has to come off and be stored somewhere warm for the winter. WSSC does not do the testing itself.

Gas leaks

Washington Gas is the gas company named for this area. If you smell gas, walk everyone out of the house first, then from outside call 911 and Washington Gas at 844-WASHGAS (844-927-4427), option 1.

How it differs from the District

Inside Washington, DC Water sells chloramine-treated water and the DC Department of Buildings issues plumbing permits. Germantown uses chlorine-treated WSSC water, WSSC permits and newer housing. When you call, give your village or nearest road and describe what is happening; you will be connected with an independent plumber who sets the price and schedule with you.