Temple Hills is on WSSC Water, so its garden apartments, duplexes and single-family homes take water from public mains and have no private well pump. With so much housing built from the 1950s through the 1970s, weak water here usually means an aging valve, narrowing pipe or a service line leak. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Temple Hills.
Temple Hills at a glance
Temple Hills is a mostly residential unincorporated community about 8 miles from downtown Washington, near the Green Line and Joint Base Andrews, with neighborhoods such as Marlow Heights and Hillcrest Heights along Branch Avenue, St. Barnabas Road and Henson Creek. The Temple Hills mailing name covers a wider area than the community itself. WSSC Water supplies water and sewer service across Prince George's County. The median home dates to 1973, so many plumbing systems are more than 50 years old.
What to do now
- Compare with a neighbor. A street-wide loss means a WSSC issue; call 301-206-4002.
- Open the main valve fully. Old gate valves can stick partway, especially after someone has turned them.
- Run a cold tap. If the water is rusty, older steel pipe or sediment from main work may be involved.
- Watch the meter with every fixture closed. Any movement means water is leaking somewhere.
- Check basement pumps. If a sump or ejector pump has stopped, unplug it before looking into the pit.
Symptom and likely cause
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Weak flow everywhere that worsened over years | Corroded galvanized supply pipe |
| Pressure swings high and low | Pressure reducing valve wearing out |
| Meter spins with nothing on | Leak on the service line or inside walls |
| No water, neighbors too | WSSC main break or planned work |
| Basement water after storms | Failed sump pump or stuck float |
If a property in the wider Temple Hills postal area ever does have its own well, the same table gains a few rows: a pressure tank that has lost its air charge, a worn pressure switch or a failing pump. A plumber can sort those out too.
Cost factors
- Replacing a valve versus repiping a run of old pipe
- Where the leak is: WSSC owns the line from the main to the property line, and the owner is responsible from there into the house
- Access in apartments and duplexes with shared walls
- Permits through WSSC Water, which handles plumbing permits in Prince George's County
Tell the plumber what kind of building you live in and how old it is. In a duplex or garden apartment, the fix may involve a shared valve that a property manager controls.
Well Pump Repair questions in Temple Hills
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?
What can I check myself before the plumber gets here?
Should I fix the pump I have or put in a new one?
More plumbing services in Temple Hills
Well Pump Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: