photo by Eric P.
Thanks to DC Water for the explanation:
“We saw the post about LFDC digging and thought we’d let you know what’s happening. What this resident has seen is actually normal. When our LFDC contractors are working in a neighborhood, they will do work at each home multiple times. First, we do a test pit to verify if the line is lead and if it is lead we return again to replace it. We’ll do a temporary restoration on the yard when we complete the work and return later to do the final restoration work. Multiply that by every house in the neighborhood that signs up for LFDC and you get an idea of why our contractors are so frequently in the neighborhood. Most importantly, all of these steps are a critical part of our work to verify lead service lines and provide free replacements.
Here’s a summary outlining the construction schedule so you can see what’s entailed.
The process, visit by visit:
Visit 1: Test pit (to verify pipe material)
Crews dig test pits (about 4×4 feet) to physically confirm whether the supply line is lead, galvanized, copper, or another material.
Once confirmed, the crew refills the pit before leaving.
Visit 2: Replacement
Depending on what the test pit found, the resident can schedule a follow-up visit to have the pipe fully replaced.
Visit 3: Restoration
Crews return again to fully restore the street, sidewalk, or yard.
DC Water’s standard is to complete roadway restoration within 60 days, though weather and scheduling can affect timing.
As you can see, since our contractors move house to house down the block, a neighborhood can experience many visits over the course of the project.
Spiniello is one of several contractors carrying out this work for DC Water under Lead Free DC, so seeing them on a block more than once is not out of the ordinary.
Here’s some additional information for homeowners.
For residents who want specifics on their own address:
Check the DC Water service line map: https://geo.dcwater.com/Lead/
Track active/planned projects: the Lead Free DC construction dashboard at Lead Free DC Construction Dashboard | DC Water
Questions about a specific property: (202) 354-3600 or [email protected]
Before we start work on a neighborhood we do extensive outreach. We also notify homes in advance to share what to expect and when.”