Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Friday, November 27, 2009
Arlington Water Main Back in Service
- Water main repairs complete; main is now repressurized
- Detours and road closures remain in area
- 2nd employee remains in very serious condition
ARLINGTON, Va. --- Today, Arlington County crews finalized all repairs to the 36” water main that ruptured on Monday, Nov. 23. Crews finished replacing sections of the water main yesterday and repressurized the system this morning.
Detours and road closures remain in the area near Old Glebe Rd. between Dittmar Rd. and N. Glebe Rd. Work in the area will continue for some days to complete the backfill and begin repairing the street. Traffic routing will continue to be affected in this area for several days.
Residents will not notice any difference in their water supply. While the extra water restriction efforts are no longer necessary, County officials encouraged residents to continue to use water wisely.
The repairing of the 36” water main was a complex and difficult task that involved dozens of County employees – from many departments, including water and fire – as well as a number of contractors. In addition, a number of neighboring jurisdictions provided assistance.
During the repair process, one employee died of electric shock and another remains in very serious condition.
>>>View a short news story of the incident.
“This is a tragic reminder of how dangerous these jobs can be,” commented Robert Griffin, Acting Director of the Department of Environmental Services. “We are grateful to the many dedicated County workers who work around the clock to provide services and keep this community running.”
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Press contact: Diana Sun. If urgent press assistance needed, send page to 703-335-3017. You'll hear three beeps; enter your phone number, followed by the # key.
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
