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A New Dawn for Water Consumer Protection: OPC Comes to the Rescue for DC Water Consumers
DC Water customers had long voiced their dissatisfaction with soaring rates, perplexing billing practices, and complicated complaint and dispute procedures. In 2018, a storm of consumer discontent brewed over increases to DC Water’s Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge (CRIAC) that were a result of the escalating costs of the Clean Rivers Project. The D.C. Council passed the DC Water Consumer Protection Amendment Act of 2018. This legislation marked a pivotal moment: OPC was granted the responsibility of representing and advocating on behalf of D.C.’s water consumers. Prior to this legislative change, customers who were experiencing water-related issues had to turn to DC Water itself — the sole retail water supplier — for resolutions.
The legislation enabled the Office to step in when consumers faced threats of water service termination, giving it the authority to work to negotiate payment arrangements and forestall disconnections.
This new responsibility aligned seamlessly with OPC’s broader mission of consumer advocacy
and education, and OPC could capitalize on its extensive experience with brokering resolutions for consumers of electricity, natural gas, and local phone services.
In April 2019, OPC officially opened the doors of the Water Services Division (WSD), filling a critical void in DC Water customer service. The division wasted no time in representing water ratepayers at hearings, saving property owners substantial sums through bill adjustments.
While DC Water retained self-regulation and decision-making authority concerning its rates, OPC
now possessed the authority to represent consumers who had complaints about service, rates, and billing. OPC was also granted the authority to comment on DC Water rate proposals, further extending its capacity to safeguard consumer interests. Among these changes, OPC was also responsible for educating water consumers about their legal rights and responsibilities and ensuring they were well- informed.
The WSD swiftly became a beacon of hope for those facing disconnections, exorbitant bills, water leaks, and other water-related concerns. WSD began to make a substantial difference in the lives of residents. But OPC’s initiative did not end there, however. The Office worked with the D.C. Council to create emergency legislation that would allow low-income DC Water residential customers with outstanding balances to seek financial assistance from the CRIAC Assistance Fund.
“I’m a 94-year-old World War II veteran. When I called the People’s Counsel, I had been without water for just over two weeks. When
you grow old like me, there’s only so much you can do ... It was psychologically damaging to be without the basics of life such as water and heat. Bottom line is that OPC helped make me whole. Once they explained the situation to DC Water, they teamed up and produced a solution. They helped me get this bill down. People like me need help. We’re not trying to beat the system. We just need a hand.”
- Dr. Horatio Harris, Ward 5 property owner
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OPC’s Journey to Protect Utility Consumers