Major WSSC water main project to affect Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle through Spring 2018

WSSC map of streets
affected by water main
replacement project

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has sent a letter to downtown Bethesda customers regarding a major water main replacement project it plans to begin this fall in the Woodmont Triangle neighborhood. While identified officially as the "Battery Lane Park Water Main Replacement" project, the work will actually impact almost every street in the Triangle - at different times - through the Spring of 2018.

Affected streets will include Auburn Avenue, Battery Lane, Cordell Avenue, Del Ray Avenue, Fairmont Avenue, Glenbrook Avenue, Keystone Avenue, Lucas Lane, Maple Ridge Road, Norfolk Avenue, North Brook Lane, Old Georgetown Road, Rayland Drive, Rugby Avenue, South Brook Lane, St. Elmo Avenue, and Woodmont Avenue.

What they'll be doing is replacing the 1920s(yikes!)-1970s-era pipes under these streets with new, ductile iron pipe. The WSSC says this pipe will reduce the number of water main breaks in the replacement area.

The work will be done during daytime hours, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, starting this fall. There will be traffic disruptions, and water service may be interrupted for a few hours as the new main is connected in your area. Some trees may have to be pruned or removed altogether. The WSSC is promising to inform you in advance of all of these disruptions, as they get to your street over the next 18 months.

Any grass, street pavement or other areas torn up for the work will be restored by the utility when the project is completed. Customers are advised not to be surprised if water is temporarily brown when the new water main is attached to your home or building, and the WSSC also suggests carefully letting air out of your pipes at that point, as you would during any total water shutoff. Slowly turn on all cold water taps starting with the highest floor, and let them run for about 5 minutes.

While customers are likely to have, or soon receive, the official communication from WSSC, I think this is also relevant to those who work, shop and dine in the neighborhood who likely won't get a notification. As you can tell from the above map, many streets and businesses will be affected by traffic and brief water disruptions over the next 18 months.