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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
ACT 26-352
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
JUNE 26, 2026
To amend, on a temporarybasis,theLanguage Access Actof 2004 toincludetheDistrictof
ColumbiaWaterand SewerAuthorityasa coveredentitywithmajorpubliccontact;to
amend theDistrictof Columbia PublicWorks Act of 1954 torequirethattheDistrictof
Columbia Water and Sewer Authoritysubmitinformationregardingdisconnectionstothe
Council,theOfficeofthe People’sCounsel,theOfficeofthe AttorneyGeneral,and the
OfficeoftheTenantAdvocate on a monthly basis;toamend theWater and Sewer
AuthorityEstablishmentand Department ofPublicWorks ReorganizationAct of 1996 to
clarifytheimpositionofchargesandpenaltiesforlatepaymentofwaterservicechargesand bills;and toamend section431 ofTitle21of the DistrictofColumbiaMunicipal
Regulationstomodifythenoticerequirementstobuildingoccupantspriortoawaterservicedisconnection.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“DCWaterandSewerAuthorityBillingandDisconnectionClarification‘TemporaryAmendmentActof2026”.
Sec.2.Section2(3)(B)oftheLanguageAccessActof2004,effectiveJune19,2004(D.C,Law15-167;D.C.OfficialCode§2-1931(3)(B)),isamendedbyaddinganewsub-subparagraph(vii-1)toreadasfollows:
“(vii-l)TheDistrictofColumbiaWaterandSewerAuthority:”.
Sec.3.Section216(d)oftheWaterandSewerAuthorityEstablishmentandDepartmentofPublicWorksReorganizationActof1996,effectiveApril18,1996(D.C.Law11-111;D.C.OffficialCode§34-2202.16(d)),isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(@TheAuthoritymayimposeadditionalchargesandpenaltiesforlatepaymentofbillsnotexceedingachargeof10%foranychargesorbillsremainingunpaidformorethan30days,andapenaltyattherateof1%permonthcompoundedmonthlyforanychargesorbillsthatremainunpaidformorethan60days”.”
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec.4.Section103of theDistrictof Columbia PublicWorks Act of 1954,approved May
18,1954 (68 Stat.102;D.C. OfficialCode § 34-2407.01),isamended toreadas follows:
“Sec.103.Discontinuanceof water serviceforfailuretopay watercharges.
“(a)(1)The Districtof Columbia Water and Sewer Authority(“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,tromtheowneroroccupantofany building,property,orotherlocationfurnished
waterorwaterservicebytheDistrict.
“(2)TheAuthoritymayshutoffthewatersupplytoanysuchbuilding,
property,orotherlocationuponfailureoftheowneroroccupantthereoftopaysuchwater
chargeswithin30daysfromthedateofrenditionofthebilltherefor,regardlessofanychangein
ownershiporoccupancyof suchbuilding,property,orotherlocation.
“(b)(1)IftheAuthorityhasshutoffthewatersupplytoanypropertyforfailuretopay
Districtwaterandsanitarysewerservicecharges,itshallbeunlawfulforanypersontorestore
thewatersupplywithouttheexpressauthorizationoftheAuthority.
“(2)The Authorityshailimpose a fineinan amount notlessthan20%of the
delinquentchargesormorethan$100,whicheverisgreater,upontheowneroroccupantofthe
property,unlesstheAuthoritydeterminesthattheowneroroccupantdidnotrestoreorsolicita
persontorestorethewater.
“(c)The Authorityshallsubmiton the7thday of each month, thefollowinginformation
totheCouncil,theOfficeofthe Attomey General,theOfficeof thePeople’sCounsel,and the
OfficeoftheTenantAdvocatefortheprecedingmonth:
“(1)The number of propertiesthatreceiveda noticeof disconnection;
“(2)Ofthosepropertiesthatwereissuedanotice,thenumberofpropertiesthat
experiencedadisconnection;
“(3)Of those propertiesthatexperienceda disconnection,thenumber of
propertiesthathadservicerestored;
*(4)Thenumberofpropertiesthatenteredintoapaymentplan;
“(5)Thenumberofpropertiesthathavehadbillpaymentassumedbythetenants
throughatenantassociation;and
“(6)Thenumberofpropertiesthathavebeenplacedinreceivershi
Sec.5,Section431ofTitle21oftheDistrictofColumbiaMunicipalRegulations(21DCMR §431),isamendedasfollows:
(2)Thesectionheadingisamendedbystrikingthephrase“TOTENANTS”andinsertingthephrase“TOOCCUPANTS"initsplace.(b)Subsection431.1isamendedtoreadasfollows:“431.1Atleastthirty(30)workingdayspriortoterminatingwaterandsewerservicestothepremises,theGeneralManagershallpostnoticeoutsideofthepremises,andateachunitif
2
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
publiclyaccessibleandwherepracticable,inEnglish,Spanish,oranotherlanguagethattheAuthorityreasonablydeterminesmaybespokenbyoccupantsatthepremises.”.(b)Subsection431.2isamendedasfollows:(1)Thelead-inlanguageisamendedtoreadasfollows:“431.2ThenoticeshallbedevelopedinconsultationwiththeOfficeoftheTenant‘Advocateandprovidetheoccupants,whethertenantsorowners,withthefollowinginformation:”.(2)Paragraph(a)isamendedtoreadasfollows
“(q)Thattheowner,condominiumassociation,communityassociation,orothercommoninterestdevelopmentisdelinquentinthepaymentofwaterandsewerservicecharges,includingthecurrentamountowedandthenumberofdaystheaccountispastdue;”.(3)Paragraph(c)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“maypermit”andinsertingthephrase“shallpermit”initsplace.(4)Paragraph(d)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“receivership;”andinserting
thephrase“receivership,asprovidedinD.C.OfficialCode§34-2304(a)(1);”initsplace(c)Subsection431.5isamendedbystrikingtheword“Director”andinsertingthephrase“GeneralManager”initsplace.
See.6.Applicability.Section3shallapplyasofApril18,1996.
Sec.7.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
See.8.Effectivedate.(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectafterapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).
(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
(rman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
Districtdf Columbia
APPROVED
JUNE 26, 2026
DocketNo,826.06
[ ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
(qAcTION
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FirstReading
1X]VOTE DATE May 5, 2026
[X]VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[TROLLCALLVOTE~Resut
‘GouneiMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Res[CouncemberAye[Nay|NV[AB[Res|GounclMember[Ave[Nay]Nv[AB[Rea
CcainnanMendelson]x Frurin x Pinto
Alen x Henderson|x R.White
Bonds x LewisGeorge|x wine
Craword x Nadeau x
Feter x Parker x
XindiateVole AB~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting RecRecused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD 6 5-eSéereiayto Dale
DocketNo.828-0680
UX] ITEM ON CONSENT CALENDAR:
[x1ACTION FinalReading,CC
[x1VOTEpate une2,2028
[X)VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[ ]ROLL CALL VOTE— Result
GounciMember[aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec[GounciMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Ree]CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Reo
CaimanMendelson]x Frumin x Pinta x
Alen x Henderson|X R.White
Bonds x LewisGeorge|x T.white x
raword x Nadeau x
Fer x Parker x
XzIndicateVote ‘AB~Absont NV-Present,NotVoting RecRecused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
‘SecretatyfotheCouncil —_& 4 24,Date