Starting or Stopping Service
The Department of Environmental Services Customer Contact Center can assist with starting or stopping water and sewer service at structures with previously established connections. Water Rules and Regulations Handbook
Requirements for New Connections
- Customer must fill out an application(PDF, 415KB) and pay applicable water service connection and infrastructure availability fees (including for a separate water-only irrigation account) to the Department of Environmental Services (DES), 2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 1000, Arlington, VA 22201. A copy of the approved land development plan showing the proposed meter location must be submitted with the application. New water service is required for all proposed construction that requires a separate service. Limited reuse of an existing service is allowed in cases where the service is less than 10 years old and appropriately sized for the new building, as determined by the County.
- If a new water main in the street is required to serve the building, it must be installed and approved for service. This includes chlorination, pressure testing and bacteriological testing. We allow developers to install all water services from developer-installed water mains. Contact us for details.
- If a new sanitary sewer main in the street is required to serve the building, it must be installed and approved for service. This includes alignment inspection and infiltration tests.
- Construction and maintenance of sewer services (sanitary laterals) from the building to the sanitary sewer main are the responsibility of the property owner and must be in place and approved for service by the Inspection Services Division.
- For water service 2 inches or smaller, the curb and gutter at the proposed meter location must be in place with a stake in the ground marking the proposed location of the meter behind the curb. The meter location must agree with that shown on approved certified building plans, and the area must be clear and finished to grade. The contractor must mark with a stake in the ground the location of existing sanitary sewer lateral.
- For water service 3 inches or larger, to be installed in a vault, the curb and gutter, if not existing, must be adequately staked out by the developer to allow for proper meter installation by the County. The meter location must agree with that shown on the approved certified building plans, and the area must be clear and finished to grade.
- After installation of the water service and crock meter by the County, the customer’s plumber must connect the public service to the owner’s side of the meter and make sure the main valve inside the house or building is in the off position.
- After the service connection is made, the customer must call DES at 703-228-5000 and request the water service be activated. Then, County staff will install the meter. The utility account will be activated upon this request and will be billed for water/sewer and refuse service if applicable.
- For house additions in which an upgrade of the water service is required, the applicant is responsible for upgrading the water service line from the house to the meter box prior to installation of the water service.
Sanitary Sewers
Sanitary sewer laterals that run from a dwelling to the County sewer main are privately owned and maintained. Call 703-228-3677 for more information on sewer laterals. The sanitary sewer mains to which the laterals connect are County-owned and -maintained.
Fees
Fee Schedules provide the range of fees charged for each type of application or activity related to land development in Arlington. Fees cover permitting, plan review, enforcement, inspection, service delivery, performance agreements and conditions. There are separate fee schedules for Inspection Services Division (ISD), Zoning and the Department of Environmental Services (DES). Some permits involve fees from more than one schedule.