*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on August 27, 2026. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation, click this link: Permanent Version.*

1. (a)

   1. (1) The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority ("Authority"), established pursuant to § 34-2202.02(a), may provide for the collection of water charges, in advance or otherwise, from the owner or occupant of any building, property, or other location furnished water or water service by the District.
   2. (2) The Authority may shut off the water supply to any such building, property, or other location upon failure of the owner or occupant thereof to pay such water charges within 30 days from the date of rendition of the bill therefor, regardless of any change in ownership or occupancy of such building, property, or other location.

2. (b)

   1. (1) If the Authority has shut off the water supply to any property for failure to pay District water and sanitary sewer service charges, it shall be unlawful for any person to restore the water supply without the express authorization of the Authority.
   2. (2) The Authority shall impose a fine in an amount not less than 20% of the delinquent charges or more than $100, whichever is greater, upon the owner or occupant of the property, unless the Authority determines that the owner or occupant did not restore or solicit a person to restore the water.

3. (c) The Authority shall submit on the 7th day of each month, the following information to the Council, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the People's Counsel, and the Office of the Tenant Advocate for the preceding month:

   1. (1) The number of properties that received a notice of disconnection;
   2. (2) Of those properties that were issued a notice, the number of properties that experienced a disconnection;
   3. (3) Of those properties that experienced a disconnection, the number of properties that had service restored;
   4. (4) The number of properties that entered into a payment plan;
   5. (5) The number of properties that have had bill payment assumed by the tenants through a tenant association; and
   6. (6) The number of properties that have been placed in receivership.

History

May 18, 1954, 68 Stat. 102, ch. 218, title I, § 103

June 13, 1990, D.C. Law 8-136, § 2(b), 37 DCR 2620

Nov. 25, 1993, D.C. Law 10-65, § 501(a), 40 DCR 7351

May 29, 2026, D.C. Act 26-339, § 4

Change in Government

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.

Editor's Notes

Mayor authorized to issue rules: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 34-2409.04.

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(b) of D.C. Water and Sewer Operations Temporary Amendment Act of 1993(D.C. Law 10-3, May 18, 1993, law notification 42 DCR 3404).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 307(e) of Coronavirus Support Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-130, Oct. 9, 2020, 67 DCR 8622).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 307(e) of Coronavirus Support Temporary Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Law 24-9, June 24, 2021, 68 DCR 004824).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 4 of DC Water and Sewer Authority Billing and Disconnection Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-50, Oct. 1, 2025, 72 DCR 8941).

Prior Codifications

1973 Ed., § 43-1521b.

1981 Ed., § 43-1528.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 34-2110, § 34-2407.02, and § 34-2407.03.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 307 of COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-247, Mar. 17, 2020, 67 DCR 3093).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 307(e) of Coronavirus Support Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-326, May 27, 2020, 67 DCR 7045).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 307(e) of Coronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-328, June 8, 2020, 67 DCR 7598).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 307(e) of Coronavirus Support Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-405, Aug. 19, 2020, 67 DCR 10235).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 307(e) of Coronavirus Support Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-30, Mar. 17, 2021, 68 DCR 003101).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 307(e) of Coronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-96, June 7, 2021, 68 DCR 006025).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 103 of DC Water and Sewer Authority Billing and Disconnection Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-127, Aug. 1, 2025, 72 DCR 8607).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 4 of DC Water and Sewer Authority Billing and Disconnection Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 (D.C. Act 26-339, May 29, 2026, 0 DCR 0).