In Silver Spring, where the median home dates to 1964, a leaking water service line often traces back to an aging pipe or joint between the WSSC Water meter and the foundation. A plumber can locate the failure and repair that section or run a new line. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Silver Spring.
Silver Spring sits on the District's northern border, with a dense downtown surrounded by older neighborhoods inside the Beltway. WSSC Water supplies water and sewer here, and the median house was built in 1964, so many service lines have been in the ground for six decades. WSSC says part of each service line belongs to the utility and the rest to the customer, which is why a leak's location matters before anyone starts digging. The Silver Spring mailing area is also wider than the community itself and takes in places such as Wheaton and Four Corners, all on the same WSSC system.
What to do right now
- Close the main shutoff, usually on the front basement wall where the line enters.
- If water is surfacing in the street, the sidewalk or at the meter, call WSSC Water's emergency line at 301-206-4002.
- Note whether pressure dropped all at once or slowly over weeks.
- Photograph wet spots, sunken soil or water in the basement for the plumber.
- Keep children and pets away from any open meter pit or washed-out soil.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Weak flow at every fixture | Corroded or crushed service pipe, or a partly closed valve |
| Damp basement wall where the line comes in | Failed joint or worn wall sleeve at the foundation |
| Soft strip of lawn toward the street | Leak along the buried run |
| Rusty water after the line sits overnight | Older galvanized pipe somewhere in the supply |
| Meter moving with the house valve closed | Leak between the meter and the house |
What affects the cost
- Distance from the meter to the house and how deep the pipe sits
- Whether a spot repair holds or the whole line should be replaced
- Paving, steps, mature trees or a tight side yard over the route
- Finished basement walls at the entry point
- A WSSC Water plumbing permit and inspection, which service line work requires
WSSC banned lead as a service line material in 1954, and its What's Your Pipe Type? map lets you look up what is recorded for your address before choosing repair or replacement. WSSC also adds orthophosphate at both of its plants to help coat the inside of pipes.
Water Line Repair questions in Silver Spring
How do I find out whether my service line is lead or galvanized?
Who is responsible for the water line between the street and my house?
Can a failing service line drop the pressure everywhere in the house?
Can tree roots damage a buried water line?
More plumbing services in Silver Spring
Water Line Repair nearby
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