4205840 Amend Water and Sanitary Sewer Service Rates, Impervious Surface Area Charge, Right of Way Occupancy Fee, Payment in Lieu of Taxes Fee, and Customer Classifications

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY

 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

 

The Board of Directors of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (the Board), pursuant to the authority set forth in Section 216 of the Water and Sewer Authority Establishment and Department of Public Works Reorganization Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-111, §§ 203(3), (11) and 216; D.C. Official Code §§ 34-2202.03(3) and (11) (2010 Repl.) and D.C. Official Code §§ 34-2202.16 (2010 Repl.)); Section 6(a) of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1206; D.C. Official Code § 2-505(a)(2011 Repl.)); and in accordance with Chapter 40, “Retail Ratemaking,” of Title 21, “Water and Sanitation,” of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR), hereby gives notice of its intention to amend Section 112, “Fees,” of Chapter 1, “Water Supply,” and Sections 4100, “Rates for Water Service,” 4101, “Rates for Sewer Service,” and 4104, “Customer Classification for Water and Sewer Rates” of Chapter 41, “Retail Water and Sewer Rates,” of Title 21, “Water and Sanitation,” of the DCMR.

 

The Board expressed its intention to amend the DCMR at its regularly scheduled Board meeting held on January 3, 2013, pursuant to Board Resolution # 13-12.  Final rulemaking action shall be taken in not less than thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.

 

In addition, the Board will receive comments on these proposed rates at a public hearing at a later date. The public hearing notice will be published in a subsequent edition of the D.C. Register.

 

Section 112, FEES of Chapter 1, WATER SUPPLY, of Title 21, WATER AND SANITATION, of the DCMR is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 112.8 is amended to read as follows:

 

112.8               Effective October 1, 2013, the District of Columbia Right of Way Occupancy Fee Pass Through Charge and the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) Fee, shall be increased from sixty-six cents ($0.66) for each one hundred cubic feet (1 Ccf) (or the equivalent of eighty-eight cents ($0.88) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.) (one hundred cubic feet (1 Ccf) equals seven hundred forty-eight and five hundredths gallons (748.05 gals.)) to seventy cents ($0.70) for each one hundred cubic feet (1 Ccf) (or the equivalent of ninety-three cents ($0.93) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used, divided as follows:

 

(a)        District of Columbia Right of Way Fee, assessed to recover the cost of fees charged by the District of Columbia to D.C. Water and Sewer Authority for use of District of Columbia public space and rights of way: An increase from sixteen cents ($0.16) per Ccf or (or the equivalent of twenty-one cents ($0.21) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used to:

(1)        Residential Customers: seventeen cents ($0.17) per Ccf (or the equivalent of twenty-two cents ($0.22) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used;

 

(2)        Multi-Family Customers: seventeen cents ($0.17) per Ccf (or the equivalent of twenty-two cents ($0.22) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used; and

 

(3)        Non-Residential Customers: seventeen cents ($0.17) per Ccf (or the equivalent of twenty-two cents ($0.22) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used; and

 

(b)        Payment in Lieu of Taxes to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) of the District of Columbia, assessed to cover the amount which D.C. Water and Sewer Authority pays each fiscal year to the District of Columbia, consistent with D.C. Water and Sewer Authority's enabling statute for public goods and services received from the District of Columbia: An increase from fifty-three cents ($0.50) per Ccf (or the equivalent of sixty-seven cents ($0.67) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used to:

 

(1)        Residential Customers: fifty-three cents ($0.53) per Ccf (or the equivalent of seventy-one cents ($0.71) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used;

 

(2)        Multi-Family Customers: fifty-three cents ($0.53) per Ccf (or the equivalent of seventy-one cents ($0.71) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used; and

 

(3)        Non-Residential Customers: fifty-three cents ($0.53) per Ccf (or the equivalent of seventy-one cents ($0.71) per one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used.

 

Section 4100, RATES FOR SEWER SERVICE, of Chapter 41, RETAIL WATER AND SEWER RATES, of Title 21, WATER AND SANITATION, of the DCMR is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 4100.3 is amended to read as follows:

 

4100                RATES FOR WATER SERVICE

 

4100.3             Effective October 1, 2013, the rate for retail metered water service shall be increased from three dollars and forty-two cents ($3.42) for each one hundred cubic feet (1 Ccf) (or the equivalent of four dollars and fifty-seven cents ($4.57) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.) (one hundred cubic feet (1 Ccf) equals seven hundred forty-eight and five hundredths gallons (748.05 gals.)) of water used to:

(a)        Residential Customers: three dollars and sixty-one cents ($3.61) per Ccf (or the equivalent of four dollars and eighty-three cents ($4.83) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used;

 

(b)        Multi-Family Customers: three dollars and sixty-one cents ($3.61) per Ccf (or the equivalent of four dollars and eighty-three cents ($4.83) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used; and

 

(c)        Non-Residential Customers: three dollars and sixty-one cents ($3.61) per Ccf (or the equivalent of four dollars and eighty-three cents ($4.83) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used.

 

Section 4101, RATES FOR SEWER SERVICE, of Chapter 41, RETAIL WATER AND SEWER RATES, of Title 21, WATER AND SANITATION, of the DCMR is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 4101.1 is amended to read as follows:

 

4101                RATES FOR SEWER SERVICE

 

4101.1             Effective October 1, 2013, the rates for sanitary sewer service shall be:

 

(a)        The retail sanitary sewer service rate shall be increased from four dollars and eighteen cents ($4.18) for each one hundred cubic feet (1 Ccf) (or five dollars and fifty-nine cents ($5.59) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.) (one hundred cubic feet (1 Ccf) equals seven hundred forty-eight and five hundredths gallons (748.05 gals.)) of water used to:

 

(1)        Residential Customers: four dollars and forty-one cents ($4.41) per Ccf (or the equivalent of five dollars and eighty-nine cents ($5.89) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used;

 

(2)        Multi-Family Customers: four dollars and forty-one cents ($4.41) per Ccf (or the equivalent of five dollars and eighty-nine cents ($5.89) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used; and

 

(3)        Non-Residential Customers: four dollars and forty-one cents ($4.41) per Ccf (or the equivalent of five dollars and eighty-nine cents ($5.89)) for each one thousand gallons (1,000 gals.)) of water used; and

 

(b)        The annual Clean Rivers Impervious Surface Area Charge (IAC) shall be increased from one hundred fourteen dollars and eighty-four cents ($114.84), billed monthly at nine dollars and fifty-seven cents ($9.57), per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), to one hundred fifty-three dollars and twenty-four cents ($153.24) per ERU, billed monthly as follows:

 

(1)        Residential Customers: twelve dollars and seventy-seven cents ($12.77) per month for each ERU;

 

(2)        Multi-Family Customers: twelve dollars and seventy-seven cents ($12.77) per month for each ERU; and

 

(3)        Non-Residential Customers: twelve dollars and seventy-seven cents ($12.77) per month for each ERU.

 

Section 4104, CUSTOMER CLASSIFICATION FOR WATER AND SEWER RATES, of Chapter 41, RETAIL WATER AND SEWER RATES, of Title 21, WATER AND SANITATION, of the DCMR is amended as follows:

 

Subsection 4104.1 is amended to read as follows:

 

4104.1             The customer classifications for water and sewer rates shall consist of a residential class, multi-family, and a non-residential class:

 

(a)        Residential – a single-family dwelling used for domestic purposes; a condominium or apartment unit where each unit is served by a separate service line and is individually metered and the unit is used for domestic purposes; or a multifamily structure of less than four apartment units where all the units are served by a single service line that is master metered.

 

(b)        Multi-Family – a multifamily structure (such as a condominium or apartment dwelling) used for domestic purposes, with four or more units.

 

(c)        Non-residential – all customers not within either the residential or multi-family class.

 

Comments on these proposed rules should be submitted in writing no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice in the D.C. Register to Linda R. Manley, Secretary to the Board, District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, 5000 Overlook Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20032,  by email to [e-mail], or by FAX at [phone]. Copies of these proposed rules may be obtained from the DC Water at the same address or by contacting Ms. Manley at [phone].