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B26-0385 • 2025

CRIAC Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

CRIAC Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Allen
Last action
2026-01-23
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill text states the act applies as of March 25, 2009 (Section 4), but also includes a temporary expiration clause in Section 6(b). The relationship between this retroactive applicability date and the new effective/expiration dates requires further clarification from implementing regulations.

CRIAC Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This law clarifies that property owners in Washington, D.C., must pay a charge based on the amount of hard surfaces like roofs and driveways on their land.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires property owners or occupants to pay an impervious area charge assessed by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority.
  • Allows the authority to calculate this charge based on surfaces that stop water from soaking into the ground, such as rooftops, driveways, patios, pools, paved walkways, private streets, and athletic courts.
  • States that property owners are responsible for paying this specific charge.
  • Places a lien on properties if the owner fails to pay the impervious area charge without needing further notice.
  • Allows owners or occupants to contest their bill using the same procedures used for water and sewer service disputes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of property in Washington, D.C.
  • Occupants of property in Washington, D.C.
  • The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority

Terms To Know

Impervious area charge
A fee based on the amount of hard surfaces on a property that prevent water from entering the ground or cause it to run off faster.
Lien
A legal claim placed against a property when an owner fails to pay a required charge, which can be enforced by the Mayor's office.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is temporary and expires 225 days after it takes effect.
  • The specific dollar amount or calculation rate for the impervious area charge is not defined in this text, only that it must be based on surface amounts.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0074, Effective from Dec 31, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 000607, Expires on Aug 13, 2026

  2. 2025-11-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0191 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 012869

  3. 2025-11-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  4. 2025-11-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0191

  5. 2025-11-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2025-10-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Nov 12, 2025

  7. 2025-10-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0385 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

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

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0385 Introduced by Councilmember Allen at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

CRIAC Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-194
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA,
NOVEMBER 10,2025
‘Toamend,onatemporarybasis,theDistrictofColumbiaPublicWorksActof1954toclarify‘thatanowneroroccupantofpropertyintheDistrictshallpayanimperviousareachargethattheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthorityassesses;andtoamendtheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentofPublicWorksReorganizationActof1996toclarifythattheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewer‘AuthoritymayassessanimperviousareachargeonanypropertyintheDistrict.
BEIT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedas the“CRIAC ClarificationTemporary Amendment Act of2025”.
Sec.2.TheDistrictofColumbiaPublicWorksActof1954,approvedMay18,1954(68Stat.104;D.C.OfficialCode§34-2101efseq.),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(d)toreadasfollows:
“(@)TheowneroroccupantofeachpropertyintheDistrictshallpayanyimperviousareachargethattheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthorityestablishespursuanttosection216(c-1)oftheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentofPublicWorksReorganizationActof1996,effectiveApril18,1996(D.C.Law11-111;D.C.OfficialCode§
34-2202.16(¢-1)).”.
Sec.3.Section216oftheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentof
PublicWorksReorganizationActof1996,effectiveApril18,1996(D.C.Law11-111;D.C.
OfficialCode§34-2202.16),isamendedasfollows:
(@)A newsubsection(c-1)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
1
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(e-1)(1)(A)TheAuthorityshallassessanimperviousareachargeonanypropertyinthe
Districtbased on abillingmethodology thattakesintoaccounttheamount of impervioussurface
on a propertythateitherpreventsorretardstheentryofwaterintothegroundasoccurringunder
naturalconditions,or thatcauseswatertorun offthesurfaceingreaterquantitiesor atan
increasedrateof flow, relativetotheflow presentundernaturalconditions.
“(B)Forthepurposesofthisparagraph,theterm“surface”includes
rooftops,footprintsofpatios,driveways,privatestreets,otherpavedareas,athleticcourtsand
swimmingpools,andanypathorwalkwaythatiscoveredbyimperviousmaterial.
“(2)Theimperviousareachargeshallbetheobligationofthepropertyowner.
Failuretopaytheimperviousareachargeshallresultinalienbeingplacedupontheproperty
withoutfurthernoticetotheowner.TheMayormayenforcethelieninthesamemannerasin
section104ofthe Districtof Columbia PublicWorks Act of 1954,approved May 18,1954 (68
Stat.102;D.C. OfficialCode § 34-2407.02).
“(3)Anyowneroroccupantofa propertythatisassessedanimperviousarea
chargemaycontestanimperviousareachargebillaccordingtothesameproceduresprovidedto
owners or occupantsof propertiesthatreceivewater and sewer service,under section1805of the
Districtof Columbia PublicWorks Act of 1954,effectiveJune 13,1990 (D.C.Law 8-136;D.C.
OfficialCode § 34-2305).”.
(b)Subsection(e)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“includingthe”andinsertingthe
phrase“includingtheimperviousareachargeandthe”initsplace.
Sec.4,Applicability.
‘ThisactshallapplyasofMarch25,2009.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.
‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat,2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate.
(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approved

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
December24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(¢)(1)).
(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
jle——
jairman
CounciloftheDistrictofColumbia
Mayor
Districtof Columbia
APPROVEDNOVEMBER 10, 2025

COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA

WASHINGTON,DC,20004
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