BROWN WATER IN GERMANTOWN, MARYLAND WAS CAUSED BY RUPTURED FIRE HYDRANT
February 6,
2015
WASHINGTON, DC
— Some Germantown, Maryland, residents may notice their tap water is a little
brown Friday morning after a fire hydrant blew underground off of a water main.
Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission spokesman Jerry Irvine says the fire hydrant near
Clopper Mill Elementary School along Cinnamon Drive sustained damage at about 7
p.m. Thursday.
While the
cause it not yet clear, Irvine says colder weather can cause more pressure in
the pipes, which can lead to more pipes bursting.
All
customers in the area still have water service and crews are working Friday
morning to patch up the fire hydrant.
If you’re
in this area and notice discolored tap water, Irvine recommends running all
faucets at the same time. Start with the top floor faucets and work your way
downstairs and run the tap for five or 10 minutes to clear your water lines, he
says.