Read the full stored bill text
ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
1
A BILL 1
2
26-680 3
4
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 5
6
________________ 7
8
9
To amend, on a temporary basis, the Language Access Act of 2004 to include the District of 10
Columbia Water and Sewer Authority as a covered entity with major public contact; to 11
amend the District of Columbia Public Works Act of 1954 to require that the District of 12
Columbia Water and Sewer Authority submit information regarding disconnections to the 13
Council, the Office of the People’s Counsel, the Office of the Attorney General, and the 14
Office of the Tenant Advocate on a monthly basis; to amend the Water and Sewer 15
Authority Establishment and Department of Public Works Reorganization Act of 1996 to 16
clarify the imposition of charges and penalties for late payment of water service charges 17
and bills; and to amend section 431 of Title 21 of the District of Columbia Municipal 18
Regulations to modify the notice requirements to building occupants prior to a water 19
service disconnection. 20
21
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 22
act may be cited as the “DC Water and Sewer Authority Billing and Disconnection Clarification 23
Temporary Amendment Act of 2026”. 24
Sec. 2. Section 2(3)(B) of the Language Access Act of 2004, effective June 19, 2004 (D.C. 25
Law 15-167; D.C. Official Code § 2-1931(3)(B)), is amended by adding a new sub-subparagraph 26
(vii-I) to read as follows: 27
“(vii-I) The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority ;”.28
Sec. 3. Section 216(d) of the Water and Sewer Authority Establishment and Department of 29
Public Works Reorganization Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11- 111; D.C. 30
Official Code § 34-2202.16(d)), is amended to read as follows: 31
ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
2
“(d) The Authority may impose additional charges and penalties for late payment of bills 32
not exceeding a charge of 10% for any charges or bills remaining unpaid for more than 30 days, 33
and a penalty at the rate of 1% per month compounded monthly for any charges or bills that remain 34
unpaid for more than 60 days”.” 35
Sec. 4. Section 103 of the District of Columbia Public Works Act of 1954, approved May 36
18, 1954 (68 Stat. 102; D.C. Official Code § 34-2407.01), is amended to read as follows: 37
“Sec. 103. Discontinuance of water service for failure to pay water charges. 38
“(a)(1) The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (“Authority”), established 39
pursuant to section 202(a) of the Water and Sewer Authority Establishment and Department of 40
Public Works Reorganization Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11- 111; D.C. 41
Official Code § 34- 2202.02(a)), may provide for the collection of water charges, in advance or 42
otherwise, from the owner or occupant of any building, property, or other location furnished water 43
or water service by the District. 44
“(2) The Authority may shut off the water supply to any such building, 45
property, or other location upon failure of the owner or occupant thereof to pay such water charges 46
within 30 days from the date of rendition of the bill therefor, regardless of any change in ownership 47
or occupancy of such building, property, or other location. 48
“(b)(1) If the Authority has shut off the water supply to any property for failure to pay 49
District water and sanitary sewer service charges, it shall be unlawful for any person to restore the 50
water supply without the express authorization of the Authority. 51
ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
3
“(2) The Authority shall impose a fine in an amount not less than 20% of the 52
delinquent charges or more than $100, whichever is greater, upon the owner or occupant of the 53
property, unless the Authority determines that the owner or occupant did not restore or solicit a 54
person to restore the water. 55
“(c) The Authority shall submit on the 7th day of each month, the following information 56
to the Council, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the People’s Counsel , and the 57
Office of the Tenant Advocate for the preceding month: 58
“(1) The number of properties that received a notice of disconnection; 59
“(2) Of those properties that were issued a notice, the number of properties that 60
experienced a disconnection; 61
“(3) Of those properties that experienced a disconnection, the number of properties 62
that had service restored; 63
“(4) The number of properties that entered into a payment plan; 64
“(5) The number of properties that have had bill payment assumed by the tenants 65
through a tenant association; and 66
“(6) The number of properties that have been placed in receivership.”. 67
Sec. 5. Section 431 of Title 21 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (21 68
DCMR § 431), is amended as follows: 69
(a) The section heading is amended by striking the phrase “ TO TENANTS” and inserting 70
the phrase “TO OCCUPANTS” in its place. 71
ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
4
(b) Subsection 431.1 is amended to read as follows: 72
“431.1 At least thirty (30) working days prior to terminating water and sewer services to 73
the premises, the General Manager shall post notice outside of the premises, and at each unit if 74
publicly accessible and where practicable, in English, Spanish, or another language that the 75
Authority reasonably determines may be spoken by occupants at the premises.”. 76
(b) Subsection 431.2 is amended as follows: 77
(1) The lead-in language is amended to read as follows: 78
“431.2 The notice shall be developed in consultation with the Office of the Tenant 79
Advocate and provide the occupants, whether tenants or owners, with the following information:”. 80
(2) Paragraph (a) is amended to read as follows 81
“(a) That the owner, condominium association, community association, or other 82
common interest development is delinquent in the payment of water and sewer service charges, 83
including the current amount owed and the number of days the account is past due;”. 84
(3) Paragraph (c) is amended by striking the phrase “may permit” and inserting the 85
phrase “shall permit” in its place. 86
(4) Paragraph (d) is amended by striking the phrase “receivership;” and inserting 87
the phrase “receivership, as provided in D.C. Official Code § 34-2304(a)(1);” in its place. 88
(c) Subsection 431.5 is amended by striking the word “Director” and inserting the phrase 89
“General Manager” in its place. 90
Sec. 6. Applicability. 91
ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
5
Section 3 shall apply as of April 18, 1996. 92
Sec. 7. Fiscal impact statement. 93
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 94
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 95
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 96
Sec. 8. Effective date. 97
(a) This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 98
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review as 99
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 100
1973 (87 stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 101
(b) This act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect. 102