Well Pump Repair in Arlington, VA

Signs that point to pump equipment

• A pressure tank in the basement or utility room with a gauge that keeps sinking
• A switch beside the tank that chatters every time a faucet opens
• A motor that hums or runs with every fixture shut
• No water at all while neighbors on the same street are fine

If none of that equipment exists in your house, the problem is almost certainly somewhere else: a worn pressure reducing valve, a leak on your service line, a clogged fixture, or something on the County's side.

How water reaches Arlington homes

The County's Department of Environmental Services runs the water system through its Water, Sewer, Streets Bureau. Most of the supply is Potomac River water treated by the Washington Aqueduct at the Dalecarlia plant, and the Willston pressure zone gets water bought from Fairfax Water. The pumping that moves that water happens at utility facilities, not in a yard.

Ownership splits at the meter. The County owns the main, the meter and the meter box; the property owner owns the line from the meter into the house and everything inside. With a median build year of 1976, plenty of houses in neighborhoods like Cherrydale still have original service lines and valves, and those wear in ways that mimic a failing pump. The County lists its water at about 8 grains per gallon of hardness, enough for mineral buildup in regulators and aerators over the years.

A small number of properties do have pumps: a booster on an upper-floor addition, a pump feeding an old irrigation setup, or equipment left from before public water arrived. Those are the jobs this page is really about.

What affects the cost

• What the equipment is. A booster pump or pressure tank in a basement is a different job from a pump down a well casing.
• Repair or replace. A failed switch or pressure gauge is a small part; a burned-out motor usually means a new pump.
• Access. Tight crawlspaces and finished basements add time.
• Related fixes. A leak on the owner's side of the meter or a worn regulator may need repair at the same visit.

What happens when you call

You are connected with an independent plumber who works in Arlington. Describe what equipment you have, when the pressure changed, and whether neighbors are affected. If water is showing up in the street or the whole block is dry, call the County's emergency line at 703-228-6555 first; that is a County repair, not a plumbing one.