WMATA service advisory:
Posted: May 05, 2016 Expiration: Jul 01, 2016
Dupont Circle & Farragut North Station Chillers Temporarily Out Of Service
UPDATED: May 5, 2016
Dupont Circle and Farragut North stations are expected to begin the cooling season (May 15) operating without chilled air service due to a leak in a cooling line off Metro property.
Both Dupont Circle and Farragut North stations are cooled by a common chiller plant that is located in the median of Connecticut Avenue opposite the Farragut North L Street entrance. Delivery of chilled air to the stations has been disrupted by a leak in the underground line that runs between the chiller plant and the stations.
UPDATE 5/5/16: Permits have been requested to allow Metro's contractors to begin excavation of Connecticut Avenue to inspect and repair a leak in the underground line. If all goes as planned, chiller service is expected to be restored to Dupont Circle & Farragut North by July 1, 2016.
UPDATE 8/14/15: Unfortunately, multiple attempts to locate and repair the leak(s) have proven unsuccessful along the 40 year old pipe that provides water to the chiller plant to these two stations. Metro's contractor believes that there may be multiple leaks on the line that are causing it to fail under water-pressure testing. As a result, the chillers are expected to out of service for the remainder of the 2015 season. Metro and its contractor are currently working on solutions to address this aged pipe with the goal of restoring chiller service for the 2016 season.
Background
Metro's underground stations are cooled by chilled water air handling units, or "chillers," not air conditioning. The chiller system is designed to reduce temperatures in stations for rider comfort. The hotter the outside air, the less the chillers will be able to do. By design, if the ambient outdoor temperature is 91 degrees, the chillers will bring the station temperature to 85 degrees.
We have ensured the tunnel and station ventilation fans are active at the two stations to provide passenger comfort; however, even with these efforts, the stations will seem warmer than usual until repairs are completed. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience.