Each spring, Prince William Water and our wholesale water providers undertake two processes to help ensure consistent water quality throughout our system. 

Between mid-March and mid-May, our drinking water providers—Fairfax Water and the City of Manassas—will temporarily switch the primary drinking water disinfectant from chloramines to free chlorine. This short-term change is a best practice for the drinking water industry and prevents bacterial growth as temperatures rise in springtime.

During the spring months, you may also notice Prince William Water personnel and trucks throughout the community as we conduct our annual water system flushing. Crews will move from neighborhood to neighborhood, opening fire hydrants in brief intervals to draw water forcefully through our network of pipes. This process will dislodge sediments and minerals that may have collected in hydrants during the past year.

Customers may experience a brief period of cloudiness in their water as sediments are agitated in the water pipes. If this occurs, run cold tap water for about two minutes until the cloudiness dissipates. More information about our annual water system flushing program can be found on our website: https://bit.ly/system-flushing.

For updates about the specific locations and times that our crews will be flushing hydrants, follow Prince William Water on Facebook and X or visit www.PrinceWilliamWater.org.

How long have you worked at Prince William Water?

I have worked at Prince William Water for 25 years — two years part-time and 23 years full-time.

Describe a typical workday in your job. What are some of your major responsibilities and tasks?

The Dispatch Department is a 24/7 operation with three different shifts that provide coverage in addressing customer calls about low water pressure, sewer or odor concerns, repairs to Prince William Water assets, possible water main breaks, and more. Each shift has key priorities. Dispatchers must be able to listen and process each customer inquiry by collecting key information and knowing how to proceed once received. Service requests are created throughout the day in our work order management system. Depending on the request, there are other key processes that need to be followed. The goal is to provide excellent internal and external customer support and assistance while following organization policies and procedures.

What is the thing you enjoy most about your job?

I love assisting customers and creating new ideas that make dispatching more efficient.

What are some of your favorite activities outside of work? 

I enjoy crafting, working on the house and spending time with family.

Call Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335-7990 to report emergencies like water main breaks, service outages or sanitary sewer overflows.

For less urgent matters, such as water pressure issues, use the Report a Problem form on our website: https://bit.ly/430f3RF.

Check out our new Customer Handbook for updated rates and fees; helpful tips for customers; and information about Your Water, Your Environment, and Our Mission! https://bit.ly/4jxHGLR. 

Check out our new YouTube videos and H2Go Kids content! Scan the QR code to explore engaging and educational videos for kids. Our kid-friendly videos include topics like how to use water wisely, at-home science experiments and more! 

Tap into the fun now by checking out our H2Go Kids learning page for more activities about water and our environment! https://bit.ly/3EpdTot

As winter ends, you may start focusing on your lawn and garden. This season, consider sustainable lawn and garden practices that will protect water resources through the entire growing season. “Green gardening” is not only fun, it also conserves water, prevents pollution from entering bodies of water, prevents soil erosion and reduces overall energy use.  



Here are some tips to get your sustainable lawn and garden started! 

Understand Your Soil: The soil is the foundation of your garden. Understanding its composition and nutrient density will help you decide what to plant and how to care for the soil. Testing prior to planting will prevent using unnecessary soil additives or fertilizer. Soil tests are available from sources like Virginia Tech. Once you understand your soil, prevent soil erosion by planting to cover bare soil and creating natural windbreaks in your garden. 

Grow Native Plants: There are plenty of gorgeous plants native to Virginia. Whorled milkweed, great blue lobelia and little bluestem grass are all native to Virginia and will help provide food and shelter to local wildlife. These plants are hardier than non-native species and require less maintenance. Native plants have deep root structures that will let them draw in more water naturally and prevent erosion of the soil. 

Use Less Fertilizer: Fertilizer is a major source of pollution for water sources. When fertilizer is applied in excess, before rainfall or on inappropriate surfaces, the excess nutrients run off into local waterways. These nutrients can cause algae blooms and harm wildlife. Planting native plants reduces the need to fertilize as these plants are acclimated to Virginia’s soil and environment. Using less fertilizer will cost less, too! 

Use Water Wisely: Strategically watering your lawn and garden can reduce your water use and make your space more environmentally friendly. Water in the morning or evening when it is cooler to reduce evaporation and ensure more water reaches the roots. Follow Prince William Water’s recommended watering schedule at https://qrco.de/bfcq3J to maintain consistent water pressure in your neighborhood. 

(Sources: Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Garden for Wildlife)

Download our new Prince William Water mobile app for a more convenient customer experience! 

The mobile app allows convenient access to website content and to manage your account through the Customer Engagement Portal.

• View your account and pay bills.

• View and compare your usage over time.

• Report a problem.

• Subscribe to receive alerts and notifications about issues affecting your service, such as water main breaks.

Find our new app in the Google Play and Apple App stores.

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