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NoVA & DC Plumbing Map

Sheet 9 of 18 · City of Alexandria

Del Ray plumbing: the sewer renewal phases

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Del Ray is split by Alexandria's sewer renewal program into East, Phase I, rehabilitated by winter 2025, and West, Phase II, which the city listed for construction in summer or fall 2026.

Sheet revised November 3, 2026 · who makes this map

Tan California-style bungalow with white steps in Del Ray
A California-style bungalow in Del Ray, Alexandria.
Who does what here
WaterVirginia American Water; the city does not own the water pipes source
SewerCity sewers; lateral share set by install date source
PermitsCity Permit Center source
LicensingVirginia DPOR source
Lead pipesWater company's lead page source

The two Del Ray phases

The city is spending $35 million over ten years to inspect and rehabilitate sanitary sewers, manholes and the city-owned part of laterals. It began in spring 2021 and works in phases. Two are Del Ray.

  • Phase I, Del Ray East: the area bounded by Commonwealth Avenue, Four Mile Run, Route 1 and the Metro rail lines. Inspections ran March to December 2021. Mains and manholes were rehabilitated from October 2023 to winter 2025. Rehabilitation of structurally deficient laterals was expected to start in spring 2026 and is listed as in construction.
  • Phase II, Del Ray West: the area between Russell Road, Commonwealth Avenue, West Glebe Road and King Street. Inspections ran from June 2022 to July 2023. Design was due to finish in spring 2026, with construction in summer or fall 2026. Lateral and manhole-and-main work are listed as separate projects in design.

Those dates come from a city page we checked November 3, 2026, and schedules move. Confirm the status with the city before you plan around them.

A line of bungalows with porches along a Del Ray street under utility wires
Bungalows along a Del Ray street.

What it means for your own lateral

The city's work covers city-owned portions. The rest follows Alexandria's July 1, 1955 rule: for laterals installed before it, the owner maintains from the curb to the property, and for later ones, from the building to the main. If the city rehabilitates a lateral outside, the private part inside the property line remains the owner's. See sewer lateral repair.

If a plumber recommends adding an accessible cleanout, a plumber would fit parts of this kind: cleanouts and plugs at PlumbingSupplyAndMore (that store has the same owners as this map).

Backups

The city says sewer backups in the separate system can come from stormwater entering the sanitary pipe through cracks and from downspouts and basement stairwell drains. If your home was built before 1970 and a downspout enters the ground, the city says it may be connected to the sanitary sewer and invites you to ask. The backflow assistance program is described on the Old Town sheet, and basement backups covers the steps after one.

What the map can't tell you

  • Whether your street is in Phase I or II, or on the edge of North Ridge, Phase III, which the city places north of Del Ray.
  • Whether work in your block has finished.
  • Which side of the 1955 line your lateral is on.
  • Whether a downspout feeds the sanitary sewer.

Check your own address

  1. Ask the city, through Alex311, which phase covers your street and where it stands now.
  2. Ask when your lateral was installed.
  3. Ask the plumber to show the camera footage of your line, then keep it.
  4. Confirm backflow assistance before work starts.
  5. If sewage backs up, stop using drains, keep people and pets clear, and call a licensed pro.

More on checking an address

Survey notes: sources for this page