WSSC Water runs mains serving customers in the Upper Marlboro area, but the Upper Marlboro mailing address covers about 77 square miles, including horse-farm countryside where water service varies by address. If your property has its own well, a failed pump, pressure switch or pressure tank can cut off water to the whole house. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Upper Marlboro.
Know which Upper Marlboro you are in
The incorporated Town of Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County's seat since 1721, has only about 650 residents and is dominated by county government around the courthouse on Main Street. Most calls with an Upper Marlboro address come from the much larger unincorporated postal area, with nearly 20,000 residents in a mix of growing housing developments and horse-farm countryside, including areas such as Westphalia and Brock Hall and land along the Western Branch of the Patuxent River, about 15 miles from downtown Washington. On those larger rural parcels, a long run of buried pipe from the wellhead to the house is common, so a leak can hide for a while. The median home was built in 1982. Check your bill: a WSSC bill means public water; no bill and a well casing in the yard mean a private well.
What to do now
- On a well, read the pressure tank gauge. Near zero with a silent pump points to power, the pressure switch or the pump.
- Check the pump breaker. Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off.
- Shut off a pump that never stops. Running with all taps closed means a leak or a pump that can't reach cut-off pressure.
- On WSSC water, ask a neighbor. If they are out too, call WSSC at 301-206-4002.
- Save some water if storms are coming and you are on a well, since the pump stops when the power does.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Switch clicks on and off rapidly | Pressure tank lost its air charge or bladder |
| Pump runs, little or no water | Worn pump, broken drop pipe or low water level |
| Air spitting from faucets | Leak on the drop pipe or water level dropping |
| Water stopped after a thunderstorm | Surge damage to the control box or motor |
| Low pressure on WSSC water | Pressure reducing valve, main valve or service line leak |
Cost factors
- Well depth and pump size, which drive the labor to pull and reset the pump
- Replacing only a switch or tank versus the pump itself
- Wiring and control box repairs
- Long buried lines on large lots
- Permits: plumbing permits in Prince George's County come from WSSC, and the town links to the county's DPIE for building permits
Well Pump Repair questions in Upper Marlboro
How do I find out whether my property has its own well?
What is a pressure tank for, and what goes wrong with it?
Can a plumber pull a submersible pump, or is that a well driller's job?
Can well lines or a pressure tank freeze in a Maryland winter?
More plumbing services in Upper Marlboro
Well Pump Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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