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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-136
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
AUGUST 11, 2025
Toamend,onatemporarybasis,theLanguageAccessActof2004toincludetheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthorityasacoveredentitywithmajorpubliccontact;toamendtheDistrictofColumbiaPublicWorksActof1954torequirethattheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthoritysubmitinformationregardingdisconnectionstotheCouncil,theOfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral,andtheOfficeoftheTenantAdvocateonamonthlybasis;toamendtheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentofPublicWorksReorganizationActof1996toclarifytheimpositionofchargesand
penaltiesforlatepaymentofwaterservicechargesandbills;andtoamendsection431ofTitle21oftheDistrictofColumbiaMunicipalRegulationstomodifythenoticerequirementstobuildingoccupantspriortoawaterservicedisconnection.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“DCWaterandSewerAuthorityBillingandDisconnectionClarification
TemporaryAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.Section2(3)(B)oftheLanguageAccessActof2004,effectiveJune19,2004(D.C.Law15-167;D.C.OfficialCode§2-1931(3)(B)),isamendedbyaddinganewsub-subparagraph(vii-I)toreadasfollows:“(vii-1)TheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthority;”.
Sec.3.Section216(4)oftheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentofPublicWorksReorganizationActof1996,effectiveApril18,1996(D.C.Law11-11;D.C.OfficialCode§34-2202.16(d)),isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(d)TheAuthoritymayimposeadditionalchargesandpenaltiesforlatepaymentofbillsnotexceedingachargeof10%foranychargesorbillsremainingunpaidformorethan30days,andapenaltyattherateof1%permonthcompoundedmonthlyforanychargesorbillsthatremainunpaidformore than60 days”.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
Sec.4.Section103ofthe Districtof Columbia PublicWorks Actof 1954,approvedMay
18,1954 (68 Stat.102;D.C. OfficialCode § 34-2407.01),isamended toreadas follows:
“Sec.103.Discontinuanceof waterserviceforfailuretopay watercharges.
“(a)(1)TheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthority(“Authority”),established
pursuanttosection202(a)of theWater and Sewer AuthorityEstablishmentand Department of
PublicWorks ReorganizationAct of 1996,effectiveApril18,1996 (D.C.Law 11-111;D.C.
OfficialCode § 34-2202.02(a)),may provideforthecollectionof watercharges,inadvance or
otherwise,fromtheowneroroccupantofany building,property,orotherlocationfurnished
waterorwaterservicebytheDistrict.
“(2)TheAuthoritymayshutoffthewatersupplytoanysuchbuilding,
property,orotherlocationuponfailureoftheowneroroccupantthereoftopaysuchwater
chargeswithin30 days from thedateof renditionofthe billtherefor,regardlessofany change in
ownershiporoccupancyof suchbuilding,property,orotherlocation.
“(b)(1)IftheAuthorityhasshutoffthewatersupplytoanypropertyforfailuretopay
Districtwaterand sanitarysewer servicecharges,itshallbe unlawfulforany persontorestore
thewatersupplywithouttheexpressauthorizationoftheAuthority.
“(2)The Authorityshallimposeafine inan amount notlessthan20% of the
delinquentchargesormorethan$100,whicheverisgreater,upontheowneroroccupantofthe
property,unlesstheAuthoritydeterminesthattheowner or occupantdidnotrestoreor solicita
persontorestorethewater.
“(c)The Authorityshallsubmiton the7thday of each month, thefollowinginformation
totheCouncil,theOfficeof theAttorneyGeneral,and theOfficeof theTenant Advocate forthe
precedingmonth:
*(1)Thenumberofpropertiesthatreceivedanoticeofdisconnection;
(2)Ofthosepropertiesthatwereissuedanotice,thenumberofpropertiesthat
experiencedadisconnection;
“(3)Ofthosepropertiesthatexperiencedadisconnection,thenumberof
propertiesthathad servicerestored;
“(4)Thenumberofpropertiesthatenteredintoapaymentplan;
“(5)Thenumberofpropertiesthathavehadbillpaymentassumedbythetenants
throughatenantassociation;and
“(6)Thenumberofpropertiesthathavebeenplacedinreceivership.”.
Sec.5.Section431ofTitle21oftheDistrictofColumbiaMunicipalRegulations(21DCMR §431),isamendedasfollows:(a)Thesectionheadingisamendedbystrikingthephrase“TOTENANTS”andinserting
thephrase“TOOCCUPANTS”initsplace.(b)Subsection431.1isamendedtoreadasfollows:
ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
“431.1Atleastthirty(30)workingdayspriortoterminatingwaterandsewerservicestothepremises,theGeneralManagershallpostnoticeoutsideofthepremises,andateachunitif
publiclyaccessibleandwherepracticable,inEnglish,Spanish,oranotherlanguagethattheAuthorityreasonablydeterminesmaybespokenbyoccupantsatthepremises.”.(b)Subsection431.2isamendedasfollows:(J)Thelead-inlanguageisamendedtoreadasfollows:“431.2ThenoticeshallbedevelopedinconsultationwiththeOfficeoftheTenantAdvocateandprovidetheoccupants,whethertenantsorowners,withthefollowinginformation:”.(2)Paragraph(a)isamendedtoreadasfollows
“(@)Thattheowner,condominiumassociation,communityassociation,orothercommoninterestdevelopmentisdelinquentinthepaymentofwaterandsewerservicecharges,
includingthecurrentamountowedandthenumberofdaystheaccountispastdue;”.(3)Paragraph(c)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“maypermit”andinsertingthephrase“shallpermit”initsplace.(4)Paragraph(d)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“receivership;”andinsertingthephrase“receivership,asprovidedinD.C.OfficialCode§34-2304(a)(1):”initsplace.
(c)Subsection431.5isamendedbystrikingtheword“Director”andinsertingthephrase“GeneralManager”initsplace.
Sec.6.Applicability.Section3shallapplyasofApril18,1996.
Sec,7.Fiscalimpactstatement.
The Counciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementof theBudget Directoras thefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.8.Effectivedate.(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectafterapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobythe
Mayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview
as
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
providedinsection602(c)(1)of theDistrictof Columbia Home Rule Act,approvedDecember
24, 1973 (87 stat.813;D.C. OfficialCode § 1-206.02(c)(1)).
(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225 daysof its havingtakeneffect.
airman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
APPROVED
AUGUST 11, 2025
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
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