WSSC has been serving the residents of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties since 1918. Our mission is to provide safe and reliable water to our customers and return clean water to the environment, all in a fiscally responsible manner. WSSC is now faced with the critical challenge of old and failing infrastructure. WSSC maintains about 5,573 miles of water mains.

As WSSC moves toward 100 years of service, we are faced with aging (deteriorating) pipes and valves. As of December 2009, almost 26% (about 1,443 miles of water mains out of nearly 5,573 miles we maintain) are more than 50 years-old. Approximately 1,973 miles of mains (35%) are between 31 and 50 years-old; 547 miles of pipe (10%) are 25-30 years old; the remaining 1,610 miles of pipe (29%) was installed in the last 25 years.

The older pipes (installed before 1931 and up to 1975) are either cast iron or asbestos cement, and have reached their natural life span (see chart). The aging process is driven by corrosion of the metallic pipes by the soil and by water in cases of internally unlined pipes.

Please refer to the Aging Infrastructure and Water Main Breaks FAQs for more information.