Spring Cleaning Of Arlington's Drinking Water Gets Off To Early Start

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington residents may begin to notice a chlorine smell or taste in their tap water over the next three months as water system engineers conduct their annual modification of the water treatment process.

This year, the cleaning process will be starting Feb. 20, earlier than the traditional March start to the treatment process. This year’s early start will allow the Washington Aqueduct to complete a reservoir rehabilitation project. The treatment process is expected to last through May 15.

Arlington County, along with the District of Columbia and northeastern Fairfax County, undergo their annual water treatment process at the same time.

The Washington Aqueduct, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, supplies the three jurisdictions with drinking water and initiates the cleaning process for pipes down the line. The Arlington network is made up of about 500 miles of pipes linked to homes, businesses and schools.

Arlington County said it used about 7.7 billion gallons of tap water in fiscal year 2022, all originating from the Potomac River.

Purification systems are in place to ensure Arlington County’s water remains safe and essentially unchanged during the process, although users may notice a slight difference in smell and taste, the county said. Also, the process will not involve any interruption in water service to county residents.

Simultaneous to the disinfection switch, Arlington will be conducting a system-wide flushing to enhance year-round water quality. Residents may see some of the county’s 3,700 fire hydrants flowing at the curb as part of the procedure.

Customers who experience a chlorine smell or taste from the tap can run the cold water line for about two minutes before using water from the tap; employ a filter system; or let the water sit in a container for an hour or two to let the chlorine smell and taste dissipate.

Customers who take special precautions to remove chloramines from tap water during the rest of the year should continue such methods during the temporary switch to chlorine, the county said.