Below you will find answers and resources for some of the questions consumers ask us every day. If you don’t find what you are looking for give us a call: (202) 727-3071.
The CBOR provides safeguards for utility consumers that use natural gas, electricity, and telecommunications services in the District’s competitive utility markets. It defines the relationship and responsibilities of utility service providers and consumers.
Yes, OPC effectively advocated to create a bill of rights to meet the needs of water customers. Some rules such as billing, consumer complaint resolution and customer responsibility are different than for other utilities, because of the nature of water and sewer services. DC Water Consumer’s Bill of Rights.
OPC has a staff of consumer specialists available to answer your questions about natural gas, electricity, telephone and DC Water services. Call us at 202-727-3071 daily.
Contact OPC, our services are free and we will put you in touch with a complaint specialists who can explain the process for each utility and help you take the next steps toward resolution.
The Utility or Energy Supplier is required to respond within fourteen (14) Business Days or within such time as approved in a request for an extension.
Yes. Although payments towards the disputed amount are put on hold, any charges accrued after that amount, consumers are required to pay.
If the matter in which a consumer seeks assistance cannot be resolved informally, the consumer can file a Formal Complaint with the Public Service Commission (PSC).
It is important to note that a water consumer has twenty (20) days to challenge the bill in WRITING. They can submit an email to DCW at custserv@dcwater.com. Challenging the bill in writing will authorize DCW to investigate and submit a Bill Investigation Report (BIR) to the consumer. If the consumer disagrees with BIR they can file a petition for administrative hearing within 15-days of receiving the BIR.
Contact OPC. Our Community Outreach Specialists of the Consumer and Water Services Division will assist you in identifying the steps to prevent your utility from being disconnected.
Contact your utility company and then contact OPC. You should contact your utility company to understand why they disconnected your utility. Before agreeing to a payment plan or restoration fees, you should contact OPC to discuss the disconnection and restoration of your utility service.
A third party supplier is a company not regulated by the DC Public Service Commission that is licensed to offer competitive utility service in the District of Columbia. As a consumer you can choose to enter into a contract with one of these companies. You will still be billed by the local utility but your utility rate will be determined by your contract agreement. Read more here about customer choice in DC.
There are many ways to build and finance a solar PV system. Take some time to learn about solar, so you can be confident that your investment is a good one. The District Government offers the Solar for All program to bring the benefits of solar to 100,000 DC consumers at all income levels and a program for single family homeowners through the DC Sustainable Energy Utility. OPC’s guide can help you decide whether it makes sense for you to go solar, and if so, how. You may want to buy solar panels and put them on your roof. You may want to lease a solar panel system, or purchase the electricity from panels that belong to someone else. Rather than having panels on your own home, you may want to participate in a solar project located somewhere else in the District.
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(202) 727-3071