Plumbers in Olney, MD

Olney at a glance

Olney was mostly farmland until the 1960s and is now a largely residential suburb around the crossroads of Georgia Avenue (MD 97) and Olney-Laytonsville Road (MD 108), about 16 miles from downtown Washington in a straight line. Montgomery County governs it. Norbeck Road, Muncaster Mill Road and Batchellors Forest Road lead out to neighborhoods like Norbeck Farms, and Olney Manor Park and the Olney Theatre are local landmarks. The median home dates to 1986.

Next door to the reservoirs

The Triadelphia and T. Howard Duckett reservoirs on the Patuxent River border northern Olney, and they are part of the WSSC Water supply. WSSC also treats Potomac River water at a second plant, and its report does not say which plant feeds which area. Its tap analysis lists Potomac plant water at about 140 mg/L of hardness on average and Patuxent plant water at about 64 mg/L. Both are disinfected with chlorine, not chloramine, and fluoride is added.

Core Olney is on public water. The county's master plan notes that public water was extended to Mt. Zion to relieve well problems, and that some outlying properties are outside the recommended sewer envelope or cannot be reached by gravity sewer, so they rely on private onsite wastewater systems. If you are on the rural edge, know which you have before calling.

Service lines and lead

WSSC Water owns part of the water service line and the customer owns the rest; if you plan to replace your portion, WSSC asks to be notified. Its What's Your Pipe Type program inventories the material on both sides, double-checks lines listed as lead, galvanized or unknown, and helps customers replace lead lines on either portion.

Permits and backflow rules

Most plumbing projects, water and sewer service line repairs included, must be done by a plumber or gasfitter holding a WSSC Water license, with permits applied for through WSSC ePermitting (Permit Services, 301-206-4003). WSSC lists Montgomery County's land development and residential permit processing line as 240-777-6323 for building-side questions. Lawn irrigation backflow assemblies need an annual test reported at spring start-up, and houses built from 2007 to 2009 with testable dual check valves on the fire sprinkler line must test or replace them.

Gas

Gas service can vary by address in this part of the county, so check your bill for the utility name. If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside.

Calling

Water or sewer emergencies in the street go to WSSC at 301-206-4002. For anything on your side, call the number on this page, give your neighborhood and the problem, and you will be connected with an independent plumber who sets price and timing with you.