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B26-0384 • 2025

CRIAC Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

CRIAC Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Allen
Last action
2025-10-23
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date section states the act takes effect after Mayor approval but remains for no longer than 90 days as an emergency measure.

CRIAC Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This law clarifies that property owners in the District must pay a charge based on impervious surfaces and gives the Water and Sewer Authority power to assess this fee.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends existing laws to state clearly that an owner or occupant of any property shall pay an impervious area charge assessed by the authority.
  • Allows the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority to calculate charges based on surfaces like rooftops, driveways, patios, pools, paved areas, athletic courts, private streets, and covered walkways.
  • Defines these surfaces as materials that prevent or slow water from entering the ground or cause it to run off faster than under natural conditions.
  • Makes the property owner responsible for paying this charge instead of just the occupant in some cases.
  • Places a lien on any property where the charge is not paid, which can be enforced by the Mayor without further notice.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners and occupants of properties located within the District of Columbia
  • The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority

Terms To Know

Impervious area charge
A fee based on surfaces like roofs, driveways, or patios that stop water from soaking into the ground.
Lien
A legal claim placed against a property when an owner fails to pay what they owe.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law states it applies as of March 25, 2009, but does not specify the exact dollar amount for the charge.
  • As an emergency act, this law remains in effect for no longer than 90 days unless extended by further action.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0171, Expires on Jan 21, 2026

  2. 2025-10-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-10-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Oct 29, 2025

  4. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  5. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  6. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0384 Introduced by Councilmember Allen at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

CRIAC Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
- ACT 26-171

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OCTOBER 23, 2025
To amend, on an emergency basis,theDistrictof Columbia PublicWorks Act of 1954 toclarify
thatan owner oroccupantofpropertyintheDistrictshallpayanimperviousareacharge
thattheDistrictof Columbia Water and Sewer Authorityassesses;and to amend the
Water and Sewer AuthorityEstablishmentand Departmentof PublicWorks
ReorganizationAct of 1996 toclarifythattheDistrictof Columbia Water and Sewer
AuthoritymayassessanimperviousareachargeonanypropertyintheDistrict.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmay be citedas the“CRIAC ClarificationEmergency Amendment Act of 2025”.
Sec.2.TheDistrictofColumbiaPublicWorksActof1954,approvedMay18,1954(68Stat.104;D.C.OfficialCode§34-2101erseq.),isamendedasfollows:
(a)Section207(D.C.OfficialCode§34-2107)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Subsection(a)(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(1)A billingmethodologythattakesintoaccountboththewaterconsumptionof,
andwaterserviceto,apropertywherewaterissuppliedfromtheDistrictwatersupplysystem.”.
(2)Subsection(c)isrepealed.
(b)Section208(D.C.OfficialCode§34-2108)isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection(@)toreadasfollows:
“(d)TheowneroroccupantofeachpropertyintheDistrictshallpayanyimperviousarea
chargethattheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthorityestablishespursuanttosection216(c-1)oftheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentofPublicWorksReorganizationActof1996,effectiveApril18,1996(D.C.Law11-111:D.C.OfficialCode§34-2202.16(c-1)).”.
Sec.3,Section216oftheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentof,PublicWorksReorganizationActof1996,effectiveApril18,1996(D.C.Law11-111;D.C.OfficialCode§34-2202.16),isamendedasfollows:
1
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(a)A new subsection(c-1)isadded toreadas follows:
“(c+1)(1)(A)TheAuthorityshallassessanimperviousareachargeonanypropertyinthe
Districtbasedonabillingmethodologythattakesintoaccounttheamountof impervioussurface
on a propertythateitherpreventsor retardstheentryofwaterintotheground as occurringunder
naturalconditions,or thatcauseswatertorun offthesurfaceingreaterquantitiesor atan
increasedrateofflow, relativeto theflow presentunder naturalconditions.
“(B)Forthepurposesofthisparagraph,theterm“surface”includes
rooftops,footprintsofpatios,driveways,privatestreets,otherpavedareas,athleticcourtsand
swimmingpools,andanypathorwalkwaythatiscoveredbyimperviousmaterial.
“(2)Theimperviousareachargeshallbetheobligationofthepropertyowner.
Failuretopaytheimperviousareachargeshallresultinalienbeingplacedupontheproperty
withoutfurthernoticetotheowner. The Mayor may enforcethelieninthesame manner as in
section104 of theDistrictof Columbia PublicWorks Act of 1954,approved May 18,1954 (68
Stat,102;D.C. OfficialCode § 34-2407.02).
“(3)Anyowneroroccupantofapropertythatisassessedanimperviousarea
chargemaycontestanimperviousareachargebillaccordingtothesameproceduresprovidedto
ownersoroccupantsofpropertiesthatreceivewaterandsewerserviceundersection1805ofthe
Districtof Columbia PublicWorks Act of 1954,approved June 13, 1990 (D.C.Law 8-136;D.C.
OfficialCode § 34-2305).”
(b)Subsection(¢)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“includingthe”andinsertingthe
phrase“includingtheimperviousareachargeand the”initsplace.

Sec.4,Applicability.ThisactshallapplyasofMarch25,2009.
Sec.5,Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
Wit Zamairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

OCTOBER 23, 2025
COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

DocketNo.826-0384

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[XJACTION FinalReading
[VOTE DATE October7,2025
[DgVOICEVoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT

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