Montgomery residents cope with water shortage

Stephanie Chavez, of Derwood, already had 10 five-gallon jugs of drinking water in her home. Chavez, like most Mormons, keeps a one-year supply of food for her family. Pointing dubiously at beige water dribbling from her faucet, complaining about potential contamination, Chavez acknowledged that she was better prepared than most.

The 48-inch concrete pipe that exploded beneath a tree-studded hillside in Rockville Regional Park near Muncaster Mill Road and Meadowside Lane drained five water towers, lowering water pressure or stopping water completely in nearby homes, businesses and schools. At 7:15 a.m. Monday, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission told customers living outside the beltway in Montgomery County to boil all water before use or drink bottled water as a precaution against contamination.

Many residents who scurried to local stores to buy water found only empty shelves.

“Our water is out. We have nothing,” said Caroline Masters, of Olney, Md. Masters brought her two elementary school-aged children and three of their friends to see the geyser from the shattered main flow into Rock Creek on Monday morning. The site became a minor attraction as locals trekked by to stare at the 10-foot-deep gash in orange earth.

Sree Kumar and his wife, Sreedevi, drove three miles from home to the park because they were curious. They were expecting to have no water at their home for at least the three days officials were predicting. Even though water returned to their faucets later that morning, the advisory to boil water and mandatory water restrictions remain until further notice.

Though she has water to drink, Chavez worried about using water other ways, because the WSSC also restricted water use for things like laundry, lawn care, washing dishes and flushing toilets.

“I’m praying I don’t have to go to the bathroom every second,” Chavez said.