Politics & Government

Report: Old, Concrete Pipes in Montgomery County Are More Likely to Burst

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission has 350 miles of pipes prone to bursting.

By Patch Field Editor Whitney Teal

The March 18 water main break that sent 60 million gallons of water gushing through the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Chevy Chase Lake Drive in Chevy Chase wasn't exactly an anomaly, according to an article in The Washington Post. 

The water main in question is of a brand and design notorious for bursting, The Post reported. The Chevy Chase main is part of Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission's 350-mile system of concrete pipes—a significant portion of the total system's piping. 

Replacing the pipes, most of which were installed in the 1970s, would cost nearly $3 billion. Newer pipes in the area are made of steel, the newspaper reported.

Read more about the area's pipes at The Washington Post's website. 


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