More than a thousand residents of the Arrive Wheaton Apartments on Georgia Avenue can finally return home after a water leak shut down the entire complex — including the Safeway on the ground floor — for several days.
The flooding in Silver Spring, Maryland, sent roughly five feet of water into the building’s basement, knocking out power and forcing residents to scramble for places to stay while crews worked around the clock to make repairs.
A statement obtained by WTOP news partners 7News confirms the damages were fixed, and that residents were cleared to return to the building. Tenants have also been told by Arrive’s management to expect rent credits for the disruption.
Officials estimated roughly 300,000 gallons of water filled the lower level, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said, submerging several utility rooms, including electrical and mechanical systems.
Crews began pumping water out of the building late Wednesday afternoon.
As a precaution, electricity to both 11201 and 11215 Georgia Avenue had been cut.