Two water mains in south Arlington broke this morning, requiring major repairs and closing roads and county buildings in the process.
A 16-inch water main burst on S. Arlington Mill Drive at the entrance to the Village at Shirlington early Tuesday, closing the road from S. Randolph Street to S. Taylor Street. The break caused Abingdon Elementary School and Fairlington Community Center to close for the day.
Some neighborhoods around the area lost water service this morning, but according to Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services (DES) spokeswoman Myllisa Kennedy water has since been restored to all residents, as well as the school, as repairs continue. The line is being excavated and repairs are expected to last until late afternoon, Kennedy said.
A separate, smaller water main also broke in Nauck this morning. Repairs have closed S. Monroe Street between 24th and 25th Streets as a result.
Update at 3:55 p.m. — Repairs on the 16-inch line are taking longer than expected. Residents in Fairlington will have little or no water pressure until the repairs are complete, according to DES spokeswoman Robyn Mincher.
The leaked 16 inch pipe has been exposed and workers found a long split. It may take another 5 to 6 hours from now to complete repairs. The traffic on Arlington Mill Drive will remain closed through early evening. The north entrance from Arlington Mill Drive to the garage located in Harris Teeter will be open by 4 p.m. to accommodate the tree lighting event. The attempts to open the other feed to Fairlington area were not successful. More repairs on valves will be done at a later date. As of now, Fairlington has no water or may be experiencing very low pressure. This situation will last until the 16 inch main is repaired.
Update at 7:15 p.m. — Repairs are continuing, Mincher says, but might stretch into Wednesday.
The intersection from Arlington Mill Drive to the north entrance of Harris Teeter’s Garage will remain closed. The traffic will stop at S. Randolph St. on Arlington Mill Drive.
The repair has run into complications with excessive water draining from the pipe that required more time to pump out. The replacement will be for two sections of pipe instead of one. These complications have added time to completion. The projected time of completion is approximately 5 ½ hours from now. The crew is complying with 16 safe-hour limit and will stop to continue in the morning if work is not completed by 10 pm. Night crew is working on a valve repair to restore water to Fairlington. If they finish early, they will supplement work on the pipe repair.
Update at 10:15 p.m. — County repair crews are calling it a day. Repairs will resume after rush hour tomorrow.
Crews will resume repair work tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. after the rush hour. This is due to the complications mentioned earlier and the 16 safe-hour limit. There will be one westbound lane open to traffic on Arlington Mill Drive and police will control the traffic throughout the night.
The Fairlington area will remain on low water pressure until the valve on the other line can be fixed.
Recent Stories
An explosives detection K-9 celebrated his retirement at Reagan National Airport today. Messi, an 8-year-old yellow lab, was feted this morning in the historic Terminal 1 lobby with a surprise…
Walk to Lee Heights shops from 1930s Tudor on beautiful terraced lot
Arlington’s response team for people in mental health and substance use crises is on track for a substantial buildout. An additional $478,286 in federal funds would allow Arlington to hire…
If you’ve gotten used to the current design of the ARLnow website over the past 5+ years, get ready for an adjustment. A new version of the site will be…
Unlike our competitors, Well-Paid Maids doesn’t clean your home with harsh chemicals. Instead, we handpick cleaning products rated “safest” by the Environmental Working Group, the leading rating organization regarding product safety.
The reason is threefold.
First, using safe cleaning products ensures toxic chemicals won’t leak into waterways or harm wildlife if disposed of improperly.
Second, it’s better for you and your family. Fragrant chemicals in surface cleaners can expose you to a similar amount of pollutant particles as a busy city road, New Scientist reported.
Northern Virginia Family Practice (NVFP), known for its comprehensive concierge healthcare, is thrilled to introduce Mark Sullivan, MD as the newest member of its family medicine team.
Dr. Sullivan brings a wealth of experience in family medicine, underpinned by a passion for delivering personalized, patient-centered care. He has a distinguished background in managing various medical conditions, emphasizing preventive care, health education and chronic disease management. Dr. Sullivan is adept at employing the latest medical research and technologies to enhance patient outcomes.
Beyond his medical expertise, Dr. Sullivan is committed to the well-being of his community, demonstrating this through his active engagement in local health initiatives and educational programs. His approach to medicine is holistic, focusing on integrating physical, mental and emotional health and patient education to achieve optimal patient wellness.
Dr. Sullivan is now accepting new patients at their newly established Arlington office at 2445 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA, 22206. The office, known for its patient-friendly amenities and state-of-the-art medical facilities, continues to provide the exceptional, personalized care NVFP is known for in its newly upgraded Arlington location.
ACFCU’s Free Homebuying 101 Webinar: Steps to Getting Pre-Approved
Are you ready to jump into homeownership, or have you started considering it but don’t know where to start?
Financial preparation is key when thinking about purchasing your first home and the first step to getting pre-approved. Join ACFCU for
Sweeney Todd
A victim of a gross injustice that robbed him of his wife and child, Sweeney Todd sets about exacting a terrible revenge on society.
