District Heights is a small, fully built-out city on WSSC Water, so its homes draw from public mains and do not have private well pumps. Many houses date to the 1940s, and in homes that old, weak water usually comes from worn valves, narrowing supply pipe or a leak on the owner's side of the service line. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in District Heights.
Local conditions in District Heights
District Heights began as farmland near MD Route 4, about 8 miles from downtown Washington, and was incorporated as a city in 1936. Many of its Cape Cod-style homes were built in the 1940s, when developers put up affordable single-family houses with FHA financing, and the median build year across the city is 1968. Along Marbury Drive, District Heights Parkway and Kipling Parkway, older supply and drain piping is common, and much of it has never been replaced. Pipe that old tends to lose flow gradually rather than all at once, which is why many owners don't notice until two fixtures can no longer run together.
WSSC Water provides drinking water and wastewater service here. Homes here are on the public system, so there is no well pump to service; the pressure comes from WSSC's mains. WSSC owns the service line from the main to the property line, and the owner is responsible for the section from the property line into the house.
Comparing the common causes
| Cause | Clue | What a plumber does |
|---|---|---|
| Corroded galvanized pipe | Gradual loss, worse upstairs, rusty water | Replaces the worst sections or repipes |
| Old main valve | Weak everywhere, valve hard to turn | Replaces the valve |
| Leak on your section of the service line | Wet yard, meter moving, higher bill | Locates and repairs the line |
| Failed sump or ejector pump | Wet basement, slow basement drains | Repairs or replaces the pump |
Signs it is time to call
- You can't run the shower and the kitchen tap at the same time
- Pressure has dropped noticeably compared with a few months ago
- The water bill rose and nothing changed at home
- A basement pump runs constantly or not at all
Timing notes
Older homes are most vulnerable in hard freezes, when pipes along exterior walls and in crawlspaces can split, and during heavy summer storms, when basement pumps work hardest. Plumbing permits in Prince George's County come from WSSC Water rather than the county, and water heater replacements need one. District Heights is a municipality, so for building permits check the county's responsibility list or ask the city. Main breaks go to WSSC at 301-206-4002.
Well Pump Repair questions in District Heights
Pressure fell in every faucet at once and I'm on public water. What happened?
Who is responsible for the water line between the street and my house?
Can well lines or a pressure tank freeze in a Maryland winter?
Is a sump pump or sewage ejector the same kind of job?
More plumbing services in District Heights
Well Pump Repair nearby
Sources
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