tap water

Low Water Pressure in Claremont, Fairlington

By ARLnow.com

Updated at 2:55 p.m. — This article has been updated here.

Low water pressure has been reported in the Claremont and Fairlington areas.

The water pressure issue is the result of a leak in a 12-inch pipe located near 2400 S. Walter Reed Drive, according to Arlington Department of Environmental Services spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel.

“Crews are now trying to isolate the leak for repair,” Whalen McDaniel told ARLnow.com. “Some areas may be out of water during the period of repair.”

Via Twitter, residents told us the low water pressure started last night (Tuesday). No word yet on when service may be restored.

File photo

County Working on Automated Water Meter Installation

By Katie Pyzyk

You may not have even realized it, but your water meter will get a makeover soon, if it hasn’t already. The county is about half finished with its efforts to install new automated meter reading (AMR) systems on residential buildings.

The new meters allow employees to easily gather water use information without physically having to access meter boxes. They are equipped with a radio transmitter than sends each meter reading to an employee who slowly drives through the neighborhoods.

“The meters tend to lose accuracy as they age, so one of the benefits is the increased accuracy of the reading,” said county engineer Mary Strawn.

AMR will reduce errors now that employees will not have to manually enter meter numbers. It’s also viewed as a safety measure, considering workers won’t have to scramble in some places with hard to reach meters.

Residents can expect to see fewer “estimated reads” on their bills, due to the efficiency of the new meters. Previously, if county workers were unable to find a meter due to factors like snow accumulation, they would estimate a customer’s monthly water use.

The county began installing AMR equipment on commercial and multi-family residences in 2007. Now, the project has moved on to the 30,000 single family residences. Workers are about halfway through that task, and hope to finish by early 2013.

Notifications are being sent out to residents before work on their meters begins. Installation only takes about five minutes, so most people probably won’t even notice that work has been done.

Sometimes, after the meter has been upgraded, residents may temporarily notice a burst of air or rust colored water. This is not harmful, and briefly running the cold water should clear this up.

Tap Water Change Coming on Monday

By ARLnow.com

On Monday the taste of your tap water may be changing as the Washington Aqueduct conducts its annual “spring cleaning.”

Residents may notice a distinct “chlorine” taste and smell in the water for the next seven weeks. Local water authorities issued the following press release about the change:

From March 26 through May 7, 2012, the disinfectant in drinking water will temporarily switch from chloramine to chlorine.

The annual switch in water disinfection is part of a routine program to clean and maintain water distribution systems in the District of Columbia, Arlington County and Falls Church. During the temporary switch to chlorine, local water authorities will also conduct system-wide flushing to enhance water quality. This program is standard practice for many U.S. water systems that use chloramine during the majority of the year.

The Washington Aqueduct is the organization responsible for treating drinking water — including water disinfection — for the District of Columbia, Arlington County, and Falls Church, Virginia. Local water authorities are responsible for monitoring drinking water to ensure chlorine levels continue to meet safe target levels.

Individuals and business owners who take special precautions to remove chloramine from tap water, such as dialysis centers, medical facilities and aquatic pet owners, should continue to take the same precautions during the temporary switch to chlorine. Most methods for removing chloramine from tap water are effective in removing chlorine. Individuals with special health concerns should consult with a health care provider on the use of tap water.

During this time, individuals may notice a change in the taste and smell of their drinking water. Local water authorities recommend running the cold water tap for approximately two minutes and refrigerating cold tap water for a few hours to reduce taste and odor. Water filters are also effective in reducing chlorine taste and odor.

Less Pollution, More Revenue from Water Plant Upgrade

By Katie Pyzyk

The massive upgrade of Arlington’s Water Pollution Control Plant, which is almost finished, is apparently already causing environmental benefits in the Chesapeake Bay. Plus, it has created a new source of revenue for the County.

Tests show the $568 million expansion and modernization of the WPCP has reduced the amount of harmful nitrogen it deposits into the Chesapeake Bay. That means the County will receive tradable credits that can be sold through the state’s Nutrient Credit Exchange Program. Earlier this week, the County Board voted to participate in the program, and also approved Arlington’s membership in the Virginia Nutrient Credit Exchange Association.

“The County has made a huge investment in expanding and upgrading the Water Pollution Control Plant, and it is great to see that – even before the upgrade is completed – the effort is producing significant benefits for the Bay and creating a new source of revenue for Arlington,” said County Board Chair Mary Hynes. “This expansion is proving to be a worthwhile investment for our County and the region.”

The County could receive between $22,000 and $410,000 each year for its utility fund by participating in the exchange. Because it’s a new member, Arlington would have to wait the required three to five years before receiving money for its credits. There is an annual membership fee of $3,125 for the program.

The WPCP treats 30 million gallons of wastewater each day. Most of its renovations are slated to be finished this summer. A refurbishment of the fence around the facility will start this spring and end in the fall.

The History of Arlington’s Drinking Water System

By ARLnow.com

Did you know that Arlington’s drinking water actually comes from the District of Columbia? And that when the county’s first drinking water system was completed residents held a big parade with elaborate floats in Clarendon?

Those are two of the interesting historical facts recently brought to light in an article on drinking water in the county’s Ballston Pond Blog. That article, written by county employee Jen McDonnell, is reprinted here with permission.

Arlington has three, separate pipe systems running underground that handle our three types of water – drinking (potable), wastewater, and stormwater. But there was a time in Arlington (not that long ago) when these pipe systems were not in place. In 1900, wells were the drinking water source for Arlingtonians, and outhouses and septic tanks “managed” the wastewater.

In 1926, the Arlington Board of Supervisors funded a study to devise a plan to bring a drinking water system to Arlington. The study findings recommended that Arlington connect to the Army Corp of Engineers-operated drinking water filtration plant that pulled water from the Potomac River for the District of Columbia’s residents. In 1926, Congress passed two acts that made this proposed plan possible. The first act authorized the sale of water from the federal supply to Arlington and the second act approved the connection of Arlington County to the federal supply. Virginia’s General Assembly then approved bonds to fund this major project. A water main was constructed from the Dalecarlia Plant in Washington D.C., across Chain Bridge, and then along Glebe Road. Infrastructure including pumps and pumping stations were installed and initially 340 homes were connected. Construction cost $636,110.

When the new drinking water system became operational, a big parade with elaborate floats was held in Clarendon. Arlingtonians wore buttons saying, “YES We Have Water.” The new, easy access to water encouraged change and growth in Arlington. In the post-WWI era, housing became denser around the available water connections. Easy water access encouraged the use of larger quantities of water, and increased the quantities of wastewater produced. While the drinking water system has been significantly expanded since then, Arlington still gets its drinking water from the Potomac River and the Dalecarlia Plant today.

An equally interesting history of the county’s wastewater system has also been posted on the Ballston Pond Blog.

Green Dye in Water Along Four Mile Run

By Katie Pyzyk

A mysterious green dye has been spotted in the water along Four Mile Run Dr. near S. George Mason Dr.

Arlington County Fire Department’s Hazmat team is on the scene. They say the dye is a non-hazardous drainage detection substance. Bags of this type of dye are sometimes released into a building’s drainage system to make sure there are no leaks or breaks. A nearby building performed this type of test today, and it drains into the creek at Four Mile Run.

The dye does appear to be moving downstream, so other areas may soon see a green hue in the water.

Courtesy photo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington to Receive 9/11 Pentagon Stone –– On Thursday, Arlington will be presented with a piece of Pentagon limestone that was damaged on Sept. 11, 2001. The 800-pound stone, brought here from Indiana in the early 1940s while the Pentagon was being built, was part of the building’s west facade when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 77. The military is presenting stones to the Arlington County Fire Department, the New York City Fire Department and the FBI Washington Field Office in advance of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. [Arlington County]

USS Arlington to be Christened — The christening of the new USS Arlington is scheduled for Saturday morning in Pascagoula, Miss. The Arlington an amphibious transport dock ship intended for use in modern expeditionary combat situations. It is the sister ship to the USS New York and the USS Somerset. County Manager Barbara Donnellan, Fire Chief James Schwartz and other Arlington officials are expected to attend the ceremony. [Sun Gazette]

Krupicka Picks Up More Alexandria Endorsements — Alexandria City Councilman Rob Krupicka (D) has picked up more endorsements in his run for the 30th District state Senate race. Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Sengel and Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne both announced their endorsements yesterday. Previously, Krupicka picked up up the endorsements of Alexandria’s mayor and its former city manager. Meanwhile, Del. Adam Ebbin (D) officially launched his campaign for the 30th District seat on Sunday at the Alexandria Black History Museum.

Annual Water Change Underway — Don’t be surprised if your tap water tastes a bit funny. The local water authority is making its seasonal switch of disinfectants from chloramine to chlorine. [Washington Post]

Courthouse Damaged by Burst Pipe

By ARLnow.com

The cleanup is still on-going at Arlington’s courthouse building, which was damaged by a burst hot water pipe early Friday morning.

The pipe burst in a wall of a courtroom on the the third floor of the building. Water leaked down to the second and first floors, as well as the parking garage. Crews worked throughout the weekend to dry out damaged carpets, chairs and other furniture.

Several boxes of documents at the police department’s central records department were damaged, but a county spokesperson said that most of those documents had already been digitized and were waiting to be shredded. Another box of documents, which was intended to be preserved, suffered light water damaged but has since been dried out by a contractor.

“We lost nothing of any significance,” said county spokeswoman Mary Curtius. “The courtroom will reopen tomorrow and most of the offices are functioning already today.”

Damage is expected to exceed the county’s $50,000 insurance deductible, Curtius said.

Water Problem Near Crystal City Closes 23rd Street

By ARLnow.com

Just as we were receiving notification of a road closure between Fern Street and Grant Street on South 23rd Street near Crystal City, a tipster sent us the photo above with this description:

Good morning — There’s some sort of water problem on 23rd St South near Crystal City, between Fern and Grant, closer to Fern.  Water is out on at least that block (I live there and a neighbor has told me hers is out as well).  It looks like this utility truck has fallen through the street surface, a sinkhole or something. That could be the cause — either the water main was broken, or it was shut off to make repairs. Picture attached, though it’s not the best angle.

As we reported earlier today, this has been a busy month for water main breaks in Arlington.

Update at 1:15 p.m. — A few Washington Gas employees arrived on scene around 12:30 p.m. to check for a possible gas line rupture. Based on the public works employee lighting up a cigarette about 15 minutes later, it would appear that they gave the all-clear.

As the photos show, this is a relatively minor situation. The public works truck is now parked safely away from the hole, and there’s no water flowing from the apparent water main break. No word yet on when the road may reopen.

County Employee Injured By Falling Branch

By ARLnow.com

An employee with the county’s Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau was struck in the head by a falling branch this afternoon while working at Washington Boulevard and North Nicholas Street, in the Highland Park neighborhood near Westover Village.

The accident happened around 1:00 p.m. when a backhoe struck part of a tree, causing the branch to fall about seven feet onto the employee’s head, according to Arlington County Chief Fire Marshal Benjamin Barksdale.

Although the accident initially sounded serious, Barksdale says the employee was taken to Virginia Hospital Center with only a minor head wound.