Water mains, Hydrants Replaced in Triangle Neighborhood

The drinking water infrastructure next to a former military duplex in Triangle is getting a much needed upgrade that will improve water quality and enhance system operations in the neighborhood.

The Prince William County Service Authority is in the process of replacing 60-year-old water mains next to the Melrose Gardens apartment complex off Graham Park Road with new 8-inch ductile iron pipe. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2015.

The Service Authority embarked on the $2 million Melrose Gardens project this fall due to the large number of water main breaks occurring in one of the oldest sections of Prince William County.

Along with installing more than a mile of new pipe, the project includes new hydrants for better fire suppression and the installation of isolation valves, which will allow the Service Authority to limit the impact on the 270-unit apartment complex if there is a water line issue.

In the past, water main breaks in the area necessitated turning off the water for the entire apartment community. With isolation valves, the Service Authority can pinpoint the problem without affecting large numbers of residents.

Upgrading that section of the water distribution system also benefits the neighboring network of pipes that serve other customers along Graham Park Road, said Service Authority Project Engineer Ron Tatariw.

The project entails resurfacing some of the streets in the Melrose community, similar to the recently completed water main replacement project in the Belmont community of North Woodbridge.

“It’s always a challenging project when you are attempting to keep an existing water system in operation while replacing it with a new one,” said Tatariw. “The community has been extremely supportive of the project.”