District of Columbia Administrative Code

1510 HAULED WASTEWATER Unless authorized by DC Water, it shall be unlawful for any User to dispose of any hauled wastewater, comprising liquid or solid and liquid wastes, removed from septic tanks, grease abatement systems, portable toilets, or wastes from any other source, anywh…

1511 HIGH STRENGTH WASTE FEES Permitted Significant Industrial Users discharging high strength wastewater into the District’s wastewater system shall be assessed a high strength waste fee, in addition to the normal sewer charges, which are based on the volume of wastewater discha…

1512 RECORDKEEPING AND CONFIDENTIALITY All Users shall retain, preserve, and make available for inspection and copying by the District, WASA, or EPA any records, books, documents, memoranda, reports, correspondence, and any summaries of these materials relating to testing, intern…

1513 ADMINISTRATIVE ENFORCEMENT REMEDIES When WASA finds or suspects that a User’s discharge has a potential to violate any provision of the Act or this chapter, an individual wastewater discharge permit, order issued hereunder, or any other Pretreatment Standard or requirement, …

1514 ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES Any notice, order, pleading, or other document produced by a party, including WASA, in response to an enforcement action brought pursuant to section 8 of the Wastewater System Regulation Act of 1985 (D.C. Law 6-95; D.C. Official Code § 8-105.07 (2008 R…

1515 ANNUAL NOTICE OF SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS WASA shall publish annually a list of the Industrial Users in significant noncompliance with the pretreatment standards and requirements in the preceding calendar year in a newspaper(s) of general circulation that provides meaningful p…

1516 ADMINISTRATIVE FINES Any party who violates any of the requirements of the Act or this chapter may be subject to a fine, to be imposed by WASA. Where a fine is imposed, the initial fine shall be not less than three hundred dollars ($ 300) for each day during which a violatio…

1517 JUDICIAL ENFORCEMENT REMEDIES Notwithstanding any other remedial authority conferred by the Act or this chapter, WASA may seek declaratory, injunctive or other appropriate relief to restrain, minimize, halt, prevent, or eliminate a violation or imminent violation of any prov…

1518 AGREEMENTS WITH USER JURISDICTIONS 1518.1 Each User Jurisdiction proposing to directly or indirectly connect to or discharge into, the wastewater system of the District shall execute a pretreatment agreement with the District before the connection of discharge into the waste…

1519 APPEALS 1519.1 Final decisions of the General Manager shall be subject to review in accordance with the procedures set forth in chapter 4 of this title. 1519.2 An appeal shall be filed within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of a written decision adversely affecting …

1520 DENTAL AMALGAM PRETREATMENT STANDARDS Except as provided in 21 DCMR §§ 1520.2 and .3, the requirements of this section shall not apply to the following exempt Dental Dischargers that: Exclusively practice one or more of the following dental specialties: Oral pathology, oral …

1599 DEFINITIONS 1599.1 When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed: Act - The District of Columbia Wastewater System Regulation Act of 1985 (D.C. Law 6-95; D.C. Official Code §§ 8-105.01, et seq. (2008 Repl. & 2011 Supp)), as amend…

1700 EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY BIOSOLIDS DISTRIBUTION 1700.1 The purpose of this chapter is to permit the sustainable and beneficial distribution of exceptional quality biosolids, composted exceptional quality biosolids, or blended exceptional quality biosolids for use in the District.…

1701 ENFORCEMENT 1701.1 This chapter shall be enforced pursuant to the Water Pollution Control Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-188; D.C. Official Code §§ 8-103.15, 8-103.16, and 8-103.17), and the Water Pollution Enforcement Regulations (21 DCMR Chapter 22). 170…

1799 DEFINITIONS 1799.1 When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed (some of the definitions were codified in the Act, indicated as [Statutory], and are reprinted below for regulatory efficiency): Act - the Water Pollution Control Act of 1984, …

1800 PURPOSE AND SCOPE 1800.1 The provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to the construction, maintenance, and abandonment of wells in the District of Columbia, pursuant to the Water Pollution Control Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-188; D.C. Official Co…

1801 APPLICABILITY 1801.1 A person engaged in the construction, maintenance, and abandonment of a well in the District shall comply with the requirements set forth in this chapter. 1801.2 A person shall not construct, maintain, or abandon a well in a manner that may create a poin…

1802 WELL CONSTRUCTION BUILDING PERMIT EXEMPTIONS 1802.1 An infiltration test well constructed and used in accordance with Chapter 5 (Water Quality and Pollution) of Title 21 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR) and the Stormwater Management Guidebook shall be…

1803 WELL CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION PROCEDURE 1803.1 Except as provided in § 1802, no person shall construct a well in the District without a well construction work plan conforming to the requirements of § 1803.3 approved by the Department, and a well construction building …

1804 DEPARTMENT REVIEW 1804.1 The Department shall review each well construction building permit application submitted to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and each well construction work plan to ensure that it meets the standards and requirements of this c…

1805 FEE SCHEDULE 1805.1 Fees shall be paid in full at the time an application for well construction or well registration is made, as specified in Table 1. Table 1: Well Fee Schedule ITEM FEE Well Permit Review and Registration Origination a. Closed-Loop Ground Source Heat Pump W…

1806 WELL REGISTRATION 1806.1 The Department shall issue a unique well registration number for each well included in an approved well construction building permit application and well construction work plan or registered with the Department. 1806.2 By March 31, 2021, a well owner…

1807 CHANGE OF WELL USE OR OWNER 1807.1 Upon the transfer of ownership of a well, the new well owner shall register the well with the Department by March 31st of the calendar year following the transfer of the well ownership. 1807.2 The use of a well as specified and approved by …

1808 WELL DRILLERS IN THE DISTRICT 1808.1 Except in accordance with §§ 1808.3 and 1808.4, no person shall construct, maintain, or abandon a well within the District unless that person is a licensed well driller and possesses a current Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs…

1809 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: GENERAL 1809.1 A well shall be constructed in accordance with a well construction work plan approved by the Department and a well construction building permit issued by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). 1809.2 A well ow…

1810 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: SITING 1810.1 A well shall be constructed so that it is accessible for cleaning, treatment, repair, testing, inspection, abandonment, and any other work that may be necessary. 1810.2 A well shall not be constructed within or under any building…

1811 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: RELOCATION DURING CONSTRUCTION 1811.1 Except as set forth in § 1811.2, a well may be relocated during construction for the avoidance of utility lines, building footings, or other sub-surface obstructions provided that: (a) The well is not relo…

1812 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: SANITARY PROTECTION 1812.1 A well owner is responsible for sanitary protection of the well during construction, maintenance, and abandonment. 1812.2 During well construction, the well and any water-bearing formation shall be protected against …

1813 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: DERIVED MATERIAL FROM WELL CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND ABANDONMENT 1813.1 A well owner shall ensure all derived waste from the construction, maintenance, or abandonment of a well is managed and handled in accordance with this chapter and al…

1814 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: DRILLING FLUIDS 1814.1 Only potable water shall be used to create a water-based drilling fluid. 1814.2 The use of a drilling fluid containing additives shall only be permitted if: (a) Use of the additive is approved by the Department in the we…

1815 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: WELL CASING 1815.1 No person shall use well casing materials, well fittings, or well equipment that creates a condition which poses a hazard to public health and safety or the environment or results in violations of District or federal laws or…

1816 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: WELL SCREENS 1816.1 No person shall construct a well in which the well screen extends across more than one aquifer, unless: (a) A special compliance standard request was submitted in accordance with §§ 1803.10 and 1803.11; (b) Adequate justifi…

1817 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: FILTER PACK IN WELL 1817.1 Except for a pre-packed well, a filter pack shall be placed in the well annulus surrounding the well screen. 1817.2 A filter pack shall extend a minimum of two feet (2 ft.), but no further than three feet (3 ft.) abo…

1818 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: WELL GROUTING 1818.1 Except as provided in §§ 1818.2 and 1818.3, a person constructing a well with an annulus shall pressure grout the well in accordance with the grouting standards of this chapter. 1818.2 The grouting of a monitoring well, ob…

1819 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: WELL DEVELOPMENT 1819.1 A well constructed for the purpose of determining the physical or chemical characteristics of groundwater shall be developed in accordance with the requirements of this section. 1819.2 Well development shall consist of …

1820 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: WELL CAPS AND UPPER TERMINUS OF WELL 1820.1 Except as provided in §§ 1820.3 and 1820.4, the upper terminus of a well shall meet the following requirements, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Department in accordance with §§ 1803.10 an…

1821 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: WELL LABELING 1821.1 A well registration number issued by the Department in accordance with § 1806 shall be attached or labeled at a visible location to the terminal surface of a well. 1821.2 For closed-loop ground source heat pump wells, the …

1822 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: MONITORING WELL, OBSERVATION WELL, AND PIEZOMETER 1822.1 The construction of a monitoring well, observation well, or piezometer shall be conducted by a method that allows for the determination of characteristics of the geologic materials under…

1823 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: CLOSED-LOOP GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP WELL 1823.1 A closed-loop ground source heat pump system shall contain pipes, loops, or loop configurations that meet the requirements of this chapter. 1823.2 Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, clos…

1824 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: GROUND FREEZE WELL 1824.1 The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard A-120/A-53 steel shall be used for subsurface freeze pipes, unless otherwise approved in a well construction work plan by the Department in accordance wit…

1825 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: RECOVERY WELL 1825.1 The materials and the methods used to construct, maintain, and abandon a recovery well shall be compatible with the chemical and physical properties of the pollutants known to exist or potentially exist where a well will b…

1826 WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS: REPORTING 1826.1 Within sixty (60) calendar days of construction of a new well, a well owner shall provide a well completion report to the Department in accordance with the reporting requirements of § 1826.3. 1826.2 A well completion report sh…

1827 WELL USE AND MAINTENANCE: GENERAL 1827.1 A well owner shall maintain a well in a manner that does not pose a hazard to public health and safety or the environment. 1827.2 The well owner shall ensure that the use and maintenance of a well is conducted in accordance with the w…

1828 WELL USE AND MAINTENANCE: MONITORING OR OBSERVATION WELL 1828.1 When conducting the well development of a monitoring or observation well, a well owner shall allow groundwater flow conditions to equilibrate prior to purging the well. 1828.2 If the well construction or well de…

1829 WELL USE AND MAINTENANCE: INJECTION WELL 1829.1 A well owner shall obtain written approval from the Department in accordance with the requirements of this chapter for the injection of a substance into a well or an injection system within the District. 1829.2 A well owner sha…

1830 WELL ABANDONMENT REQUIREMENTS: GENERAL 1830.1 Except in accordance with §§ 1802.3 and 1802.7, at least thirty (30) days prior to abandoning a well, a well owner shall submit to the Department a well abandonment work plan for review and approval by the Department. 1830.2 A we…

1831 WELL ABANDONMENT PROCEDURES 1831.1 A person abandoning a well shall, if feasible, remove all obstructions that may interfere with the effective sealing operations by cleaning out the borehole or re-drilling. 1831.2 A person abandoning a well shall remove all well upper termi…

1832 INSPECTION 1832.1 Upon the presentation of appropriate credentials to the well owner and the property owner where a well is sited, the Department may: (a) Access the property where a well is sited; (b) Inspect and copy any records kept in accordance with this chapter, includ…

1833 ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES 1833.1 The Department may issue an order requiring compliance with this chapter or elimination of any violation. 1833.2 The Department may order a well owner to abandon a well in accordance with §§ 1830 and 1831 if the Department determines that any…

1834 ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW 1834.1 With respect to a matter governed by this chapter, a person adversely affected or aggrieved by an action of the Department shall exhaust administrative remedies by timely filing an administrative appeal with, and requesting a…