We’re a referral service with no office in Fawcett Farms, so we can’t say how any particular address is supplied. If you’re on public water, you’ll have a WSSC meter near the street and a main valve where the line enters your house. If you’re on a well, there’s a pump, a pressure tank, and a pressure switch instead, and the water starts on your property.
Public water or well: how to tell
Look for a water meter in a box near the street or driveway, and a WSSC bill in the mail. If you have neither, and you can see a large pressure tank in the basement or utility room, you likely have a well. If you’re not sure, ask the plumber when you call; it’s the first thing they need to know.
What’s different when a pipe bursts on a well system
- Turn off the pump, too. Closing the valve after the pressure tank stops the water, but the pump may keep running and trying to refill the system. Switch it off at its breaker, if you know which one it is.
- Look at the pressure tank. It holds a reserve of pressurized water, so a break may keep leaking for a while after the pump is off.
- Listen for the pump cycling. A pump that keeps switching on and off with everything closed suggests a leak somewhere in the system.
- Beware of dry-running. A pump can be damaged if it runs without water, which is another reason to switch it off.
The in-house portion of the plumbing is the same, and our page on emergency burst pipe repair applies. If the break is in the underground line between the well and the house, see main water line repair, but note that WSSC doesn’t serve a well line, so the whole line is yours. Some plumbers also handle well pumps, while others refer you to a well contractor. Ask who handles what.
Power outages
A well pump needs power, so a long outage means no water even when nothing is broken. If the power comes back and the water doesn’t, you may have a tripped breaker or a pump problem, not a burst pipe. It’s helpful to tell the plumber about the sequence of events.
After a break
If the well was open or the system lost pressure, it’s a reasonable precaution to ask the plumber or a well contractor whether the water should be tested before you drink it. Our Glen Hills page covers long service lines, which matter for well lines too. For the general overview of what we do, see burst pipe repair in Potomac.
Questions people ask
I think I have a well. Does that change who you connect me with?
Should I turn off the pump if a pipe bursts?
Burst pipe services you can ask for
Main Water Line Repair
The line that carries water from the street into your house.
Emergency Burst Pipe Repair
A split pipe or blown joint with water actively escaping.
Pipe Replacement / Repiping
Replacing worn-out or failing pipe, in part or the whole house.
A note on this guide. This page is general information, last reviewed October 2026. It can’t replace a plumber looking at your actual pipes, and Burst Pipe Fix Pros does not perform plumbing work.