Arlington Neighborhoods Continue to Deal with Problematic Water Main

Multiple Arlington neighborhoods could continue to experience low water pressure over the next several days as repairs to a water main that began leaking last week move along.

The 30-inch water line, at Arlington Boulevard and North Irving Street, began experiencing problems Wednesday and repairs have been ongoing since.

Buckingham, Douglas Park, Arlington Heights, Alcova Heights, Arlington Ridge and parts of Lyon Park have been affected. Other nearby neighborhoods may be as well.

The Arlington County Department of Environmental Services, which has been posting regular updates about the water main on its Facebook page, called in an expert to assess what repairs would be needed. That led to the draining of the water main over the weekend, and the subsequent cleaning and flush is expected to last through the week.

Draining the pipe caused a "significant" pressure drop Sunday, Environmental Services spokeswoman Myllisa Kennedy told Patch in an email.

Residents in the affected area could continue to see low pressure during peak times — 6 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. — as repairs continue.

The county is asking people to help reduce the demand on the water system by minimizing their use — running dishwashers and washing machines during non-peak hours, for instance, or showering at different times.

Low temperatures could cause additional leaks, which would further reduce pressure, Kennedy stated.

Residents can report leaks or other water concerns by calling the county's water emergency hotline at 703-228-6555.