Whetstone Watch

Projects, Repairs, and Summer Preparations

by the Whetstone Board of Directors

As I go about my outdoor spring-cleaning projects, and stroll through a lush green Whetstone visiting neighbors, it’s hard to imagine a mere four months ago we were enduring one of the coldest deep-freeze snowstorms in recent memory. At the height of that deep-freeze, I recall attempting to visualize summertime as I stared at a big impenetrable ice cube in my driveway that was my car. Well, here we are heading into summer, and I’m sure a couple trips to the pool will make that winter a very distant memory.

We have a number of community maintenance items to be aware of; some currently in the works, others happening in the near future:

Our entire “bike path” system is being evaluated this month to determine which sections will require repairs or replacement during this year’s maintenance cycle.

Magnolia trees in the greenspace between the Courts and Whetstone Drive were unfortunately not faring well and are being removed, with new trees to be planted during the fall planting season.

The two pedestrian bridges within Whetstone, one located behind Annapolis Way, and the other behind Canal Road were inspected and found to require major repairs. Community Management and the board are currently reviewing bids and contractor options, with a desire to move forward with this reconstruction work as soon as possible.

At our March board meeting, we approved funding for greenspace cleanup along the Goshen Road hillside, extending behind the Whetstone properties from Judge Place to 9300 Elger Mill Road. Scope of work to include general grounds cleanup, branch trimming, and removal of dead or diseased trees and plantings. This work should commence in the coming months, weather permitting.

In April, a large tree located on the island at the end of Dairy Road fell into the wooded area. Cleanup of the fallen tree and repairs to the three-rail split-rail fence were completed and inspected during a May 13 Community Management site visit.

The community’s street-lining trees are maintained on a three-year cycle; you may notice this routine maintenance work being carried out around the neighborhood. If you wish to know which trees are on the schedule, and when trimming may be occurring, feel free to contact Community Management.

All Whetstone storm drains recently underwent detailed inspections. Our contractor is currently preparing a report and proposal for recommended repairs. Once received, Community Management will provide this information to the board for review. Initial findings showed the majority in good condition.

For those who aren’t aware, we have a family of beavers residing in and around Lake Whetstone. Unfortunately, that means a number of trees are being damaged from their chewing and gnawing. Community Management has been working diligently to explore best-practice options to mitigate continued tree damage. Consulting animal control specialists have expressed safety concerns in placing traps, particularly for our pets and other wildlife. At the moment, wrapping of trees is deemed the best option, as we continue to monitor the situation.

The board, in cooperation with Community Management, has addressed the outpouring of concern regarding non-resident parking in our neighborhood, occurring primarily near the Centerway entrance along Whetstone Drive and Circle. A mailing was sent to all Whetstone residents, describing our current proposal for overnight permit parking. The mailing explains in further detail our desire to limit the scope of permit parking to just the areas currently being affected by this problem.

Hopefully, everyone survived last winter without suffering any major damage to our homes, particularly frozen pipes. Which brings to mind the dreaded subject of pinhole leaks in our nearly 60-year-old copper pipes. As I chat with numerous neighbors in Whetstone, most have been affected by pinhole leaks to one degree or another, including myself. They are tiny, needle-sized holes that often result from pitted internal corrosion caused by a reaction between water chemistry and the copper and exacerbated by high water pressure turbulence. They’re typically found more on the cold-water lines. Despite their small size, these leaks can be deceptive; often starting as a slow drip or fine mist that goes unnoticed until it causes significant water damage. This problem has a storied history across the entire nation in many homes built around 1970. Beginning in 1999, WSSC undertook an aggressive investigation into the growing copper pipe pinhole leak problem, particularly in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, with no one clear irrefutable cause being found. Following this investigation, WSSC began adding a corrosion inhibitor called Orthophosphate to its local water supply in 2003, which leaves a thin film inside pipes, helping mitigate further corrosion (as well as lead leaching into the water). That white deposit buildup you may notice on your plumbing fixtures isn’t hard water in the typical sense, it’s Orthophosphate. Visit the WSSC website for further information, as well as many articles on this subject online.

Whetstone Watch: for residents of The Courts, Goshenside, Lakeside and the Ridges of Whetstone.