WSSC Water Crews Quickly Respond to Sanitary Sewer Overflow in Bethesda

Laurel, Md. – October 7, 2021 – WSSC Water crews quickly responded to a Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) today in a heavily wooded area of Montgomery County near 9240 Vendome Drive in Bethesda. The overflow, detected at 8:58 a.m., is ongoing – sending untreated wastewater into Rock Run. The total volume of this overflow is estimated to be in excess of 10,000 gallons.

The cause of the SSO appears to be a collapsed section of 15-inch diameter sewer pipe. Crews are working to access the site and set up a temporary bypass pumping operation to divert the wastewater around the collapsed section of pipe. 

Twenty signs warning residents to avoid the area have been posted and crews will investigate to determine what caused the pipe to collapse.

When crews arrived on the scene, they discovered a significant amount of wipes overflowing from a manhole. Many companies market personal hygiene wipes as flushable, however, these products do not break down and disintegrate in the sewer system like toilet paper. The accumulation of these wipes can lead to blockages in sewer mains, which can cause SSOs. WSSC Water reminds residents to keep the wipes out of the pipes and flush only the three Ps: pee, poop and paper (toilet paper).

WSSC Water has made appropriate notifications to the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Montgomery County Health Department.

WSSC Water is committed to protecting the health of the public and the environment. With more than 5,600 miles of sewer mains throughout its service area, WSSC Water appreciates notifications from citizens if a sewer overflow or water main break is suspected. Citizens can call WSSC Water’s 24-hour Emergency Call Center at 301-206-4002 to report water or sewer emergencies in Prince George’s or Montgomery counties.

Customers can also report emergencies via email at emergencycallcenter@wsscwater.com and those customers who have smartphones can report emergencies using the WSSC Water Mobile App.