About 1.9 million customers in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties are being urged to limit water use because of an uptick in water main breaks with the cold weather. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) said in a statement that it was asking all of its customers in those counties to take “immediate conservation efforts” because they were working to fix at least 47 water main breaks or leaks.

WSSC Water issued a statement Sunday urging all 1.9 million customers in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties to only use water for essential purposes, as the utility has seen a “significant increase” in water main breaks and leaks across the area.

The essential-water-use-only request has been lifted for the 1.9 million customers in Prince George's and Montgomery counties, WSS