Oakland’s Broadford plant still offline; council to discuss Alexandar Lane bill adjustment
The Town of Oakland says its Broadford water plant remains offline, and Alexandar Lane residents in Mountain Lake Park have had dirty water since Oct. 9.
Broadford water plant outagePart of a story we are following · 2 articles · See every update
Oakland’s Broadford Water Treatment Plant remains offline, the Town of Oakland said in an Oct. 13, 2026 update. The Oakland plant is running about 20 hours a day to meet demand. Customers on Alexandar Lane in Mountain Lake Park, in Garrett County, Maryland, have had dirty water since Friday, Oct. 9.
What the Town says about the Broadford plant
The Town said significant progress has been made on the plant’s clarifiers and that filter media has been added. Filter washes were planned for the week of Oct. 13, and the plant was expected to return to partial service that week. The Town did not give a specific date.
Why Alexandar Lane has dirty water
The Town said a valve leak at the intersection of Dennett Road and Broadford Road caused the problem. The Oakland Water Department was exercising a valve for emergency planning when it experienced a rapid loss of water. The Town has been flushing the neighborhood but says it has not been able to flush as extensively as required, because of reduced system capacity and the current direction of water flow. The Town says the neighborhood will be fully flushed when Broadford returns to service. It says the rest of the system has not been affected.
Key dates
| Date | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 9 | Customers on Alexandar Lane begin reporting dirty water after the valve leak | Town of Oakland update, Oct. 13 |
| Tuesday, Oct. 13 | Town posts update: Broadford still offline | Town of Oakland update |
| Week of Oct. 13 | Filter washes at Broadford; partial return to service expected | Town of Oakland update |
| Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1 p.m. | Administrative session agenda includes ‘Discussion of Adjustments for residents of Alexander Lane’ | Town of Oakland agenda |
| Monday, Nov. 2, 4 p.m. | Next regularly scheduled meeting: administrative session at 4 p.m., regular meeting at 5 p.m., Town Hall, 15 South Third Street | Town of Oakland agenda |
What is not known
- The exact date Broadford will return to service.
- What caused Broadford to go offline. The Town’s update does not say.
- How many Alexandar Lane customers are affected, or how large any bill adjustment would be.
The Oct. 20 agenda lists a discussion of adjustments. It does not say whether the council will vote on them.
Where to report water problems
Report water quality problems to [email protected] or call Oakland Town Hall at 301-334-2691, the Town says.
Questions and answers
- Where do I report dirty water in Oakland, Maryland?
- Report water quality problems to [email protected] or call Oakland Town Hall at 301-334-2691, according to the Town of Oakland's Oct. 13, 2026 update.
- When will the Broadford Water Treatment Plant return to service in Oakland?
- The Town said on Oct. 13, 2026 that the plant was expected to return to partial service the week of Oct. 13. The Town did not give an exact date.
- Will Oakland's council discuss bill adjustments for Alexandar Lane residents?
- The agenda for the Oct. 20, 2026 administrative session lists 'Discussion of Adjustments for residents of Alexander Lane' at 1 p.m. The agenda does not say whether the council will vote on them.
