PUBLIC HEARING ON DC WASA SEWER RATE CHANGE

February 11, 2009

Public Hearing

WEDNESDAY, February 18, 2009 • 6:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
777 North Capitol Street, NE (Within walking distance of Union Station)

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) Board of Directors will host a public hearing to seek comments on:

A change in the retail rate for sanitary sewer service (decreased from $3.47 to $3.31 per one hundred cubic feet [Ccf]) for customers, and

The implementation of an Impervious Surface Area Charge* of $1.24 per month per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) for all properties in the District of Columbia.

This unbundling of the sewer charge is an equitable way to recover the costs of a federally mandated $2.2 billion project to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and Rock Creek. With this new billing structure, the cost of the CSO control program is removed from the volumetric retail sewer charge and reflected in a separate Impervious Surface Area ** Charge. If approved, these billing adjustments will become effective May 1, 2009. In the first year, all residential customers would be charged one (1) ERU while all non-residential property owners would be assigned ERUs based upon the total amount of impervious surface on each lot.

Each individual or representative of an organization who wishes to present testimony at the public hearing is requested to furnish his or her name, address, telephone number and name or organization (if any) by calling (202) 787-2330 or emailing the request to Lmanley@dcwasa.com no later than 5:00 p.m., Monday, February 16, 2009. Presentations by individuals will be limited to five (5) minutes. Those by representatives of an organization are limited to ten (10) minutes. For more information, please call (202) 787-2330 or visit our website www.dcwasa.com.

* This charge applies to all DC WASA customers and all other property owners in the District of Columbia.

** Impervious areas are man-made surfaces that cannot be easily penetrated by water such as rooftops, paved driveways, patios, and parking lots.

Serving the Public • Protecting the Environment

Latest News

Map of Water Street and Capital Crescent Trail

DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT

Beginning on or about November 12, 2025, DC Water will begin preparing for construction on the Potomac River Tunnel on the 3300 block of Water Street NW, beneath the Whitehurst Freeway.

picture of damage inside the RCMI

Construction Nov 7-10, 14-17; Additional Weekend Closures Will Also Be Necessary 

For the next two weekends, beginning Friday evening and continuing through early Monday, November 7-10 and 14-17, a section of the Rock Creek Multi-use Trail near Rose Park—between P Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW— will be temporarily closed for construction. One sounthbound lane of Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway will also be closed, impacting traffic. This closure is part of ongoing high-priorty repairs to the Rock Creek Main Interceptor (RCMI), a major sewer line which transports more than 100 million gallons of wastewater each day.

Picture of DC Water staff, CEO/GM David Gadis, Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Water Board Chair Dr. Unique N. Morris-Hughes

Today, DC Water celebrated a major milestone in the Potomac River Tunnel Project with the ceremonial blessing of Mary, the tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will dig the northern leg of the tunnel. The ...

Upcoming Meeting

Board of Directors Meeting

April 24, 2023

Monday 9:00 AM

Announcement

Map of Water Street and Capital Crescent Trail
TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Water Street NW at Georgetown Waterfront Park — Travel Lane and Sidewalk Closures

DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT

Beginning on or about November 12, 2025, DC Water will begin preparing for construction on the Potomac River Tunnel on the 3300 block of Water Street NW, beneath the Whitehurst Freeway.

Latest Blog Post
A helicopter lowers a drill rig to workers on the Potomac River.
DC Water begins drilling in Potomac River to explore options to rehab underwater sewer line
When one of your major sewer lines runs through the Potomac River, a backhoe and trencher won't do. That's why we've got helicopters carrying a 14-ton drill and workers suspended midair over the Potomac.
Upcoming Meeting
Date
November 12, 2025
Wednesday, 9:30 AM

Upcoming Events

Customer Service Center Announcement

Payment Plan Incentive: provides a credit back of 40% of the last 3 payments made and in the new fiscal year 50% will be credited. Eligible participants are residential customers who have had an outstanding balance for 60 days or greater and with an outstanding balance of $500 or more.