Could this River Road water leak in Bethesda become a repeat disaster of 2008?

A WSSC crew was on-site yet again this week in the 5200 block of River Road in Bethesda, where a mysterious water leak continues to cause standing water on the state highway. The leak has been going on for months - and no one seems to be able to stop it, despite repeated efforts by the WSSC. It appears to come from somewhere near a driveway to the Sunoco gas station, and flows downward into the street by the Capital Crescent Trail bridge. However, the break is not necessarily where the water is emerging at the surface; pressurized water will escape to the surface via whatever weak spots there are in the pavement nearby.

WSSC workers appear to be
tackling the exact spot where
water seems to emerge from

It's also unclear whether the source is a connection from the main to Sunoco or another nearby business, or a large main under River Road. A 66" main near 8500 River Road burst in 2008, causing the road to become a raging river. Montgomery County firefighters rescued 14 motorists who would have otherwise been swept away or drowned. There was another, less catastrophic, break a few blocks east of here at Willard Avenue just a few years ago.

What is clear is that there is a cracked main or pipe, and these tend to get worse over time, as the one on River Road has. It's hard to pinpoint exactly when the leak began, because it was too small to notice, especially when its impact mimics the same standing water that occurs on River Road under the bridge during heavy rain. Let's hope they've found the cause and stopped it this time. Stay tuned.