14% jump in DC Water Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge (CRIAC)

[Anonymous]

It has been $21.23 per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) for fiscal year 2025, was $21.86 per ERU for fiscal year 2024, now has shot up to $24.23 per ERU for fiscal year 2026, a 14.1% increase. What justifies that massive jump, which is effectively yet another tax increase for DC residents?

https://serviceinfo.dcwater.com/iab_details/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has been $21.23 per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) for fiscal year 2025, was $21.86 per ERU for fiscal year 2024, now has shot up to $24.23 per ERU for fiscal year 2026, a 14.1% increase. What justifies that massive jump, which is effectively yet another tax increase for DC residents?

https://serviceinfo.dcwater.com/iab_details/

Why wouldn’t it be based on the amount of actual impervious for a properly. They should charge $10 a unit+ 10 cents per sq ft of impervious surfaces per year.

[Anonymous]

The reason is DC Water is an unaccountable and virtually unregulated monopoly and has a bloated payroll that DC residents are bound to pay for:

https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/hcm_docs/employee_database.pdf

Their official line is “blah blah clean rivers projects blah blah”. But that’s what bonds are for.

[Anonymous]

If you don't like this, then the recourse is through the DC Office of People's Counsel

https://opc-dc.gov/

I would "file a complaint"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason is DC Water is an unaccountable and virtually unregulated monopoly and has a bloated payroll that DC residents are bound to pay for:

https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/hcm_docs/employee_database.pdf

Their official line is “blah blah clean rivers projects blah blah”. But that’s what bonds are for.

You do realize that bonds have to be paid back right? They are tax hikes on future residents, which is probably ok for transplants that don’t stick around.

[Anonymous]

On the other hand, since DC only has a handful of bonding authorities and Mendelson and McDuffy eliminated the tax free municipal bond law for seniors, this provides opportunities for people who need a fixed income to invest in DC.

(this is sarcasm, by the way)

[Anonymous]

A "massive" increase of $2.37 per month.

I simply can't imagine how anyone will possibly manage to come up with the extra 7.9 cents per day this will cost them. I fear many people will have to resort to selling their bodies to come up with that kind of cash, and those lucky enough to somehow scrimp and save the nickel and three pennies will be forced into the cruelest fate of all - choosing between paying the water bill or buying a single individually wrapped Werther's Original at the five and dime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A "massive" increase of $2.37 per month.

I simply can't imagine how anyone will possibly manage to come up with the extra 7.9 cents per day this will cost them. I fear many people will have to resort to selling their bodies to come up with that kind of cash, and those lucky enough to somehow scrimp and save the nickel and three pennies will be forced into the cruelest fate of all - choosing between paying the water bill or buying a single individually wrapped Werther's Original at the five and dime.

Any time anyone has to pay for anything it becomes part of the dems' "affordability" hoax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A "massive" increase of $2.37 per month.

I simply can't imagine how anyone will possibly manage to come up with the extra 7.9 cents per day this will cost them. I fear many people will have to resort to selling their bodies to come up with that kind of cash, and those lucky enough to somehow scrimp and save the nickel and three pennies will be forced into the cruelest fate of all - choosing between paying the water bill or buying a single individually wrapped Werther's Original at the five and dime.

This was my reaction too, but from the upperNW neighborhood liserservs, you would think this is enough to drive hordes of bluehairs out of the District once and for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A "massive" increase of $2.37 per month.

I simply can't imagine how anyone will possibly manage to come up with the extra 7.9 cents per day this will cost them. I fear many people will have to resort to selling their bodies to come up with that kind of cash, and those lucky enough to somehow scrimp and save the nickel and three pennies will be forced into the cruelest fate of all - choosing between paying the water bill or buying a single individually wrapped Werther's Original at the five and dime.

This was my reaction too, but from the upperNW neighborhood liserservs, you would think this is enough to drive hordes of bluehairs out of the District once and for all.

That’s not what upper NW folks are upset about.

They are upset about the multiplier of the $24 charge. It used to just be $24/month and now many people will have a 3.8 multiplier, so it’s $91/month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A "massive" increase of $2.37 per month.

I simply can't imagine how anyone will possibly manage to come up with the extra 7.9 cents per day this will cost them. I fear many people will have to resort to selling their bodies to come up with that kind of cash, and those lucky enough to somehow scrimp and save the nickel and three pennies will be forced into the cruelest fate of all - choosing between paying the water bill or buying a single individually wrapped Werther's Original at the five and dime.

Any time anyone has to pay for anything it becomes part of the dems' "affordability" hoax.

Just like when republicans said they would all go bankrupt because gas prices were a $1 higher…which translates into a whopping $24/month of increased charges based on average amounts people drive and mpg.

[Anonymous]

Part of the challenge is that these capital projects are shouldered by only a portion of the rate payers. DC has very generous utility assistance programs for low income and undocumented residents. These are what we voted for, of course.

[Anonymous]

DC water is outrageously expensive and the prices have little to do with how much water people actually use. We surely have the only water plant in the entire world that can afford to pay six figure salaries to its customer service representatives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC water is outrageously expensive and the prices have little to do with how much water people actually use. We surely have the only water plant in the entire world that can afford to pay six figure salaries to its customer service representatives.

There are people at DC water who make more than $350,000 a year. So, almost as much as the president of the United States.

[Anonymous]

Look at this: https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/finance/rates/BudgetReviewDocs/Proposed%20FY%202025%20Budget.pdf

Per page 12, DC Water is budgeting $210 million in staff costs for 1,325 FTEs. That’s $158k per staff member. Yowza.

And then they’re spending another $100 million on contractors.

Their debt service is also $250 million (and projected to rise to $433 million by 2033), which is nuts.

The projected rate increases are on page 38. Things are only going to get worse.

I don’t know who or how, but someone - the next mayor? - needs to tear this whole boondoggle down and start anew.