Tap water in Arlington may have a distinct taste and smell of chlorine for a while as an annual cleaning of the county’s pipe network begins next week.
Starting Monday, Arlington will swap out its year-round disinfectant, chloramine, for chlorine — resulting in “a slight change in taste or scent when using the tap.”
New water fountains and refill stations are coming to the Mount Vernon Trail, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and other federally controlled parts of Arlington.
The National Park Service plans to install up to 14 new stations at “high-priority locations” in the vicinity of GW Parkway.
Arlington County’s water pipes are receiving their annual cleaning starting next week, bringing temporary changes to tap water’s taste and odor.
Starting Monday and continuing through May 5, tap water will be treated with chlorine instead of chloramine “to clean water mains and clear them of any flow issues.”
While communities across the country are preparing to replace all lead pipes within the next decade, new regulations have little effect on Arlington.
The Environmental Protection Agency last week issued a final rule on lead pipes that is estimated to affect up to nine million homes — a multibillion-dollar project meant to substantially improve health outcomes, especially in children.
Poor regional coordination and outdated technology led to inconsistent messaging during Arlington’s boil water notice earlier this month, county staff say.
Confusion began after D.C. Water was the first to issue a boil water notice the night of July 3, due to potential contamination caused by algae blooms in the Potomac River.
Update at 9:45 a.m. — The Boil Water Advisory from Wednesday night has been lifted, Arlington County said in the following alert just before 9 a.m.
Arlington County has lifted [the] Boil Water Advisory issued on July 3.
Get ready for a hint of chlorine in your tap water beginning next week.
Starting this coming Monday, March 25, and continuing until May 6, the Washington Aqueduct, the main water source for Arlington, D.C., and parts of Fairfax County, will temporarily change its disinfectant from chloramine to chlorine.
There is an unassuming pump station near Fort Ethan Allen Park in North Arlington that the county says is “a vital component” of its drinking water distribution system.
The Ethan Allen Pump Station, when needed, ensures proper water pressure for customers, says a spokesman for the Dept. of Environmental Services. But for several years, the Ethan Allen station has had a portable generator outside because the one inside is inoperable, according to a county report.
Arlington and its neighbors are getting an early start on an annual tap water change.
The Washington Aqueduct, which serves Arlington, D.C. and part of Fairfax County, is preparing for a reservoir rehabilitation project. As a result, the yearly “spring cleaning” practice of switching water disinfectants is kicking off a month early.
Residents of Arlington, D.C. and part of Fairfax County will notice a different taste to their tap water today.
The Washington Aqueduct, from which our tap water is pumped across the Potomac and throughout Arlington, is starting its annual spring pipe cleaning today. The seasonal switch in the disinfectant used by the aqueduct will run through May 16.
Update at 5 p.m. — Water service has been restored ahead of schedule, county officials say.
Update: Repairs have been completed and water pressure restored to customers in the Willston zone. Learn what to do should water appear cloudy when turning taps back on: https://t.co/rlidD7YZGM.
Arlington resident Amber Haynes says her family has been living without the certainty of clear water for the last year.
Every time they plan to do laundry, Haynes and her family run the water to clear out the murky sediment that builds up. The family uses bottled water for brushing their teeth and disconnected the ice machine. Even the dog drinks bottled water.
