Politics & Government

Report: Cause of Connecticut Ave. Water Main Break Still Unknown

The fiber optic monitoring system meant to warn WSSC of impending breaks in the water main did not fail, WSSC engineers said, Bethesda Now reported.

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission engineers still do not know what caused the massive water main break on March 18 at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Chevy Chase Lake Drive, but they say that the fiber optic monitoring system installed in the pipes in 2010 did not fail, Bethesda Now reported.

But what use is a monitoring system that works, but fails to warn you that a break is coming? That was a key question WSSC engineers faced at a Monday morning meeting of the Montgomery County Council’s Transportation and Environment Committee.

WSSC chief engineer Gary Gumm said that the design of the pipe segment that broke "affects 700 to 800 other pieces of pipe throughout Montgomery and Prince George’s counties," The Washington Post reported.

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Read more about Monday's briefing on Bethesda Now's website and on The Washington Post.

While the break did result in a massive geyser and crater, and 60 million gallons of water were lost—necessitating mandatory water restrictions for five days in two counties—no one was hurt by the water main break.

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