Bill
B 26-0679
The bill clarifies DC Water billing practices and protections to prevent or delay disconnections during an emergency, with orderly notices, remedies, and oversight.
DC Water and Sewer Authority Billing and Disconnection Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 (B26-0679)
Overview
- Jurisdiction: District of Columbia
- Session: 26
- Title: DC Water and Sewer Authority Billing and Disconnection Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026
- Introduced: May 4, 2026 by Councilmember Allen
- Co-sponsor: Charles Allen
- Current status: Retained by the Council (as of May 5, 2026)
- Purpose: To clarify and potentially adjust how the DC Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) handles billing, customer protections, and disconnection practices, in an emergency framework.
Key Provisions and Changes (as indicated by the title and typical scope of such measures)
- Billing Clarifications
- Clarifies the process by which DC Water bills customers, including the timing, methods of notification, and calculation of charges.
- Addresses how late payments are treated, including any grace periods, penalties, or interest charges.
- Specifies documentation or disclosures required on bills to ensure customers understand charges, due dates, and available remedies.
- Disconnection Protections
- Defines circumstances under which DC Water may disconnect service and the protections that must be observed before and during disconnection.
- Potentially establishes enhanced notice requirements, safe harbor periods, or prohibitions on disconnection for certain customers (e.g., medically vulnerable residents, households with infants or elderly members) during an emergency or public health period.
- May outline procedures for reconnecting service after payment or compliance with payment plans.
- Emergency Authority and Timing
- Describes the emergency nature of the amendments, including time-limited applicability or sunset provisions.
- Specifies deadlines for implementing clarified procedures and any interim rules that DC Water must follow during the emergency period.
- Customer Protections and Remedies
- May include remedies for customers misbilled, under-billed, or improperly disconnected, including dispute resolution processes and potential penalties for non-compliance by DC Water.
- Could require DC Water to provide assistance programs, payment plans, or waivers for certain customers facing financial hardship.
- Governance and Oversight
- Potentially designates oversight mechanisms within the DC Council or a related agency to monitor DC Water’s adherence to the clarified procedures.
- May require annual reporting or a one-time report detailing compliance, customer impacts, and disconnections avoided.
Who Would Be Affected
- Residents and commercial customers who receive DC Water bills.
- Households facing financial hardship or medical vulnerability who are at risk of disconnection.
- DC Water itself as the billing and service-disconnection administrator.
- City agencies involved in utility oversight and consumer protection.
Procedural and Timeline Considerations
- Legislative Stage: Introduced on May 4, 2026; retained by the Council on May 5, 2026.
- Emergency Nature: The title designates an emergency amendment, implying temporary applicability pending a longer-term reform or further legislative action.
- Implementation: If enacted, DC Water would need to adjust billing statements, notification protocols, and disconnection procedures in line with the act, subject to the emergency timeline and any sunset provisions.
- Effective Date: Not specified in the available summary; typically, a bill may include an effective date upon enactment or an explicit date after passage.
Notes
- The information above reflects the bill’s title, sponsorship, and stated purpose as of its introduction and retention. Full text would provide precise definitions, specific thresholds (e.g., notice periods, grace periods), penalties, and any exemptions. Readers should refer to the DC Council’s official bill text and any committee reports for exact language and applicability.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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