WSSC: Repairs On Chevy Chase Water Main Almost Done

Water main repairs at Chevy Chase Lake Drive and Connecticut Avenue, photo via WSSCWSSC says repairs to the 60-inch water main that burst Monday night in Chevy Chase are almost complete and that mandatory water restrictions could be lifted this weekend.

The pipe broke on Monday at about 7:45 p.m., sending water shooting about 30 feet into the air near at the intersection of Chevy Chase Lake Drive and Connecticut Avenue. The break tore through some of the pavement on Chevy Chase Lake Drive and caused erosion in the nearby stream bank that led to a downed tree and downed power line.

Connecticut Avenue was closed in both directions from Monday night until all three southbound lanes were opened on Tuesday morning. Two lanes of northbound Connecticut Avenue, where the repair work was going on, were open yesterday.

WSSC this morning said some main aspects of the repair were completed yesterday, including grouting of the joints and re-installation of the Acoustic Fiber Optic monitoring system, the same system that will be under scrutiny for not providing an earlier warning of the pipe break when taken up at a future County Council Committee hearing.

A warning from a Chevy Chase resident of water leaking through the road about seven hours before the break will also draw attention. The Washington Post reported the story today.

WSSC reports that crews will flush out the repaired line today, part of the decontamination process before putting the transmission main back into service.

Once it is back in service, WSSC will lift mandatory water restrictions.

Photo via WSSC

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