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Improving Rockville’s Water System
Frequently Asked Questions
Water Projects | System Upgrades | Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
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Próximos Proyectos del Sistema de Agua de la Ciudad de Rockville
Preguntas más frecuentes acerca de las Mejoras en el Sistema de Aguas de Rockville
洛城全市即将开展的供水改造工程
Just as your home, car, and appliances age, the City's infrastructure and equipment that provides water throughout the City is aging too. To make sure it continues to meet our customers’ needs, Rockville is improving the Water Treatment Plant and replacing portions of the water distribution system that serve your homes, businesses and the fire hydrants across the City.
These Frequently Asked Questions provide background information about the City’s Water Plant and water distribution system, and the planned improvements.
Why does the City need a Water Line Replacement Program?
The Department of Public Works is implementing a Water Line Replacement Program to replace 33 miles of aging pipe. The Program is a way to maintain the City’s aging infrastructure. It benefits customer by reducing the frequency of water main breaks and increasing the water flow to homes, business and fire hydrants.
Rockville's water distribution system consists of a network of pipes, valves, fire hydrants, water meters, and storage tanks that move water from the water plant on the Potomac River to homes and businesses.
Cast iron pipe corrosion forms a rough surface inside the pipe that reduces the interior pipe diameter and lowers the rate of water flow through the pipe. That build-up can reduce the water flow rate to a point where it impacts water flow from fire hydrants. At this time, 4% or 51 of the fire hydrants in the City’s water distribution system are not operating at optimal levels due to corrosion build up in the pipes.
Approximately 70 percent of the pipes in the City's water distribution system were installed before the mid 1970s. Most of these pipes are made of cast iron that weakens as they age, resulting in water main breaks. In 2007, Rockville had a record 65 water main breaks. Those breaks are costly, cause property damage, and interrupt water service and traffic during repair.
Why does the City need to upgrade the Water Treatment Plant?
The City is upgrading its Water Treatment Plant to meet new federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements and to ensure that the plant continues to meet the City’s growing demands for water. The Water Plant Upgrade project involves improving the electrical, hydraulic, filtering and residuals handling systems of the plant, which was built in 1958. These upgrades will ensure the plant will treat and process water that meets EPA standards.
Is my water safe to drink? What does the City do to ensure high quality drinking water?
Yes, the water is safe is to drink. Rockville’s water continues to meet all drinking water health standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Rockville has a preventative maintenance program to ensure continuous high quality drinking water. The program includes water main flushing to help maintain good water quality and to improve the water flow in neighborhoods. The flushing program is completed biennially to “flush” the water mains to remove sediment and corrosive particles from the water mains.
The City’s Annual Drinking Water Quality Report is available online or by calling 240-314-8500.
How much will the Program cost the City?
Estimated costs for the Water Plant Upgrades total $14.6 million over 5 years. The Water Line Replacement Program will cost $74 million over 20 years. These costs are included in the City’s Proposed Capital Improvement Plan and have been factored into anticipated water rates.
How will the City fund the Program and how will it impact my water bill?
Rockville expects to pay for the improvements with a combination of cash and borrowing using bonds. Staff is also pursuing federal and state grants and low interest loans.
To obtain the needed funds, the City will raise the rates charged to customers for water service. The specific rates will be determined through the Fiscal Year 2009 budget deliberations and will be available after budget adoption on May 19, 2008.
The average quarterly water bill is currently $30.98. Staff developed several water rate options for Mayor and Council consideration based on different financing methods and time periods to conduct and fund the improvements. Under the financing plan supported by the Mayor and Council, the average quarterly water bill between July 2008 and June 2009 would increase to $37.80. The quarterly bill is anticipated to increase approximately 22% each year until 2013. That means the average quarterly water bill between July 2013 and June 2014 would be $71.28. The rate is anticipated to increase approximately 1% per year between July 2014 and June 2028.
When will the Mayor and Council approve the plans and how can I provide input to the Mayor and Council?
The Mayor and Council will approve the Water Line Replacement Program and Water Plant Upgrade projects in conjunction with the FY 2009 Operating Budget and Capital Improvements Program. You are invited to provide input by sending an e-mail to mayorcouncil@rockvillemd.gov or by sending a letter to Rockville Mayor and Council, 111 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850. The public is welcome to submit comments about the FY 2009 budget until budget adoption on May 19, 2008.
How will my property and water service be impacted during construction?
If a water pipe is scheduled for replacement on your street, you will receive advance notification of the work schedule. Surveyors will visit your street, placing stakes in the ground to identify where the work will take place. Crews will dig into the street to access pipes located under the pavement. The street will remain open and arrangements will be made to continue access to your driveway during construction. Work on the City owned part of the pipe that connects the public water main to individual homes and businesses might result in temporary sidewalk closures and removal and replacement of street trees.
Water service will be provided throughout the construction period through a temporary, above ground pipe. The water will remain safe to drink but you may experience temporary water discoloration at points during the work.
Improvements at the Water Treatment Plant will not impact your water service or your property.
How do I know if the water pipes that connect my home or business to the City’s water distribution system need maintenance or replacement?
Rockville owns the water pipes under the street and the portion of the pipe between the street and the City’s water meter on your property. Property owners own the pipe that takes water from the City’s water meter into your home or business. The portion of the pipe that you own ages too. If you experience discolored water, low water flow, or an unpleasant odor, your pipe may need to be cleaned or replaced. Call the Department of Public Works at 240-314-8500 and City staff will check the City owned portion of the pipe for any problems and repair them. If there are no problems in the City owned portion of the pipe, contact a plumber to check the pipe to your home or business.
How is the City coordinating with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service to continue maintaining fire hydrants in the City?
The City is coordinating the improvements related to fire hydrants with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS). The new water mains will improve water flow to those hydrants that are currently operating below optimal standards. To better inform Fire and Rescue personnel, MCFRS will work with the City to identify the lower functioning hydrants with color–coded rings placed on the hydrants. The City’s regular maintenance of hydrants will also continue.
Can I view the Water Line Replacement Program Plan and the Water Plant Upgrade Plan?
The plans are available at www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/water or by calling 240-314-8500. The Water Line Replacement Program plan describes the current condition of the distribution system and recommended improvements. The plan and maps show the tentative locations of pipes to be replaced over the span of the program, in four groups. It also shows the location of all the fire hydrants served by City water. The Water Plant Upgrade Project describes the improvements to the electrical, hydraulic, filtering and residuals handling systems at the Plant.
How do I know whether the City of Rockville or the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) provides water to my home? How am I impacted if WSSC provides my water?
Approximately 46,500 Rockville households are served by the City’s water system. If you receive a Water Utility bill from the City of Rockville, you are served by the Rockville water system and the information provided here applies to your property.
Approximately 10,000 Rockville households get their water from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and receive bills from WSSC. Rockville’s improvements do not impact WSSC customers. However WSSC has an abbreviated program to replace aging pipes. WSSC proposed a more aggressive rehabilitation program which was not supported by the WSSC Commissioners. The Commissioners acknowledged the need for infrastructure renewal and agreed to continued dialogue on how to fund WSSC’s infrastructure replacement needs. Information about WSSC is available at http://www.wsscwater.com or by calling 301-206-4001.
Is Rockville the only community with an aging water distribution system?
No. Water systems across the region and the nation are facing similar issues, particularly areas that experienced rapid development from the 1950s through the mid 1970s. They also need significant upgrades to their water treatment plants and water distribution systems to address federal requirements, aging infrastructure and pipe conditions.
What is the water meter replacement program?
The water meter is the device that tracks the amount of water that flows into your home or business, measuring your water use for utility billing purposes. As water meters age, they tend to “slow down” and “under-register” flows to water customers. Consequently, customers’ bills are inaccurate and under-stated. Additionally, older meters require City staff to visually read each meter individually.
Rockville initiated a water meter replacement program in 2007. New meters are more accurate and are “remote-read,” eliminating the need to visually read each water meter. Replacement of the commercial and industrial water meters in Rockville is nearly complete. The residential meter replacement program will begin during the summer of 2008. By the fall of 2009 all residential meters will be replaced with upgraded, more accurate water meters.
Where can I get more information?
Visit the City's Water System Upgrade page for more information about the water distribution system, Mayor and Council worksessions about the water system improvements, tips for conserving water, and the City’s Drinking Water Quality Report.
View Rockville’s Fiscal Year 2009 Proposed Operating Budget and Capital Improvements Program.
City of Rockville Department of Public Works staff can answer questions and refer you to other information sources. You can reach the Department at 240-314-8500.
Updated 05/06/2008