WSSC issues water restriction request for parts of southern Prince George’s County
Water conservation request in Prince George's to impact nearly 40,000 people
A water conservation request will impact around 40,000 customers and affect approximately 110,000 residents in Clinton, Rosaryville, Marlton, Brandywine, Accokeek, and parts of Fort Washington. FOX 5's Homa Bash has the details.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Starting Wednesday, September 4, at 8 p.m., the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission will implement an essential-water-use-only request for portions of southern Prince George’s County. Officials say the measure is necessary as crews replace a failing section of a major water main under Dower House Road in the Upper Marlboro area.
Crews will begin work to replace the main early Thursday morning and continue around-the-clock. The work is expected to last approximately three days.
The conservation request will impact around 40,000 customers and affect approximately 110,000 residents in Clinton, Rosaryville, Marlton, Brandywine, Accokeek, and parts of Fort Washington.
WSSC Water advises residents to complete laundry and dishwashing before the restriction begins to avoid potential disruptions.
The agency is asking people to only use water for essential purposes for at least three days during the repairs - that means limiting washing machines, dishwashers, and shorter showers; stop watering your lawns, filling your pools - and washing your cars. Outdoor water use, including washing cars, watering lawns, and topping off swimming pools, is prohibited.
Additionally, residents should minimize flushing toilets and other non-essential water use.
The water conservation request could avoid a potential boil water advisory and will help ensure water needed for fire protection.
"We have reached out to or at least attempted to reach out to everyone today," said Lyn Riggins with WSSC Water. "We were in constant communication ahead of today with hospitals, and Prince George's County Public Schools, so they're making arrangements. We're working to communicate with everyone."
For Custom Car Kings in Clinton, that last part will be the toughest.
They wash and detail cars daily - and are hoping people heed the warnings so they can stay open and in business during this time.
Sharroud Ross has worked there for more than a decade and said their customers come first.
"You really have to conserve it if you know it's not going to be a lot, you have to," he said.
WSSC said the way they caught this 16-foot part of the water main that is failing was through advanced technology - the pipe was installed in 1968 and in 2007, they put in an acoustic fiber optic cable that alerted them to this issue.
WSSC Water has invested $28.7 million in this technology over the years.
"So this technology is allowing us to make this proactive repair instead of reacting to an emergency situation," Riggins said.
In a statement sent to FOX 5, Prince George's County Public Schools said, "To ensure students and staff have access to safe drinking water during this time, bottled water will be delivered to impacted schools."
Road closures may occur on Dower House Road if it rains during the replacement work.
Traffic will be restricted along Dower House Road between Woodyard Road and Old Marlboro Pike, and the road will be completely closed between Old Pike Way and Pearl Harbor Drive – only if raining.
For more information and to check if your address is affected, visit the interactive map on the WSSC Water website.