Germantown Water Main Break Leaves Dozens Without Water

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Water main breaks in Gaithersburg and Germantown have led to traffic delays, a school closing and many people without water, according to officials.

The breaks occurred Tuesday evening, leaving about 200 people without water in Montgomery County, according to multiple news reports.

Because of the water main breaks, Northwest High School in Germantown also dismissed its students from school at 10 a.m. All after-school activities were also canceled.

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) said that a broken 24-inch water main first occurred along the 11500 block of Clopper Road in Gaithersburg. Crews were able to close the valves and shut off the flow of water.

"All the water has been pumped out and we are digging down to expose the broken pipe and then make repairs," the agency tweeted.

Crews said they are also working to address a second water main break along the 12400 block of Clopper Road in Germantown.

Clopper Road currently has intermittent closures between Great Seneca Highway and Waring Station Road because of repairs to the two water main breaks, officials said.

"Water is estimated to be restored this evening. We know this is frustrating. We are working as quickly as possible to repair two large water main breaks. The breaks are a half mile apart," WSSC tweeted Wednesday.

For those affected by the Clopper Road water main breaks, WSSC has opened a water station at the United Church of Christ of Seneca Valley, which is at 13421 Clopper Road in Germantown.