By the council and relevant to today's nominations must include two members with experience in affordable housing or community development.

Turning to the resolutions appointing individuals to the DC Water Board, Chairman Mendelson introduced PRs 26, 485, 486, and 487 at the request of the mayor on December 16th, 2025.

PR 26 48 485 and 487 would reappoint Rajna Bhutani Bot and Dr.

Jimmy Ortiz as principal and alternate members respectively of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Board of Directors for terms to end September 12th, 2030.

PR 26 46 would appoint Vince McCone as an alternate member of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Board of Directors to fill an unexpired term to end September 12, 2027.

Ms.

Bot is currently serving on the DC Water Board as a principal member for the district, having been first confirmed by the Council in 2012 and again in 2014, 2018, and 2022 for full terms.

Dr.

Ortiz is currently serving as an alternative member for the district and was confirmed by the council to an unexpired term last year.

He will be appointed to a full term if confirmed now.

And Mr.

McCone will be joining the board for the first time.

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, or DC Water, provides municipal water and sewer service to the entire district as well as parts of Maryland and Virginia.

DC Water is governed by a board of directors consisting of 11 principal and 11 alternate members of those members.

Six are from the District of Columbia, and no more than four of those six may be district government employees or officials.

Four members are from Maryland, two from Montgomery County, and two from Prince George's County, and one member represents Fairfax County, Virginia.

The district's members are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council.

We have no public witnesses that were registered for today's round table.

However, the committee will accept written testimony through the council's hearing management system at Limbs.dc Council.gov backslash hearings until the close of business on Monday, March 23rd, 2026.

We are, however, joined by our nominees to the DC Water Board.

So let me turn to our nominees.

Before the committee today are Rajna Bhutani Bot, the current principal member of the DC Water Board of Directors, Dr.

Jimmy Ortiz, and a current alternate member of the DC Water Board of Directors, and Vince McCone, current advisory neighborhood commissioner and former acting secretary of the U.S.

Department of Labor under President Biden.

Our rules require actually, no, we don't have to do that, because you're not government witnesses.

So what I'm going to do is turn to each of you for your testimony, and then after that, we'll turn to some questions.

If I have any of my colleagues that join us, we'll do rounds of questions.

Otherwise, it'll just be me and I'll ask you plenty of good questions.

But Ms.

Bott, how about we start with you?

Then Dr.

Ortiz will turn to you, and then Mr.

Come will turn to you.

All right.

Good afternoon.

Uh, Chairperson Allen and members of the committee.

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today as you consider my reappointment to the DC Water Board of Directors.

I am grateful to Mayor Bowser for her continued confidence in me, and I would be honored to continue serving the residents of the District of Columbia in this capacity.

Since my initial appointment in 2012, serving on DC the DC Water Board has been one of the most meaningful public service roles of my professional life.

Over more than a decade, I have had the privilege of helping guide an organization that is widely recognized as a national and global utility leader in quality, environmental stewardship, and utility innovation.

At the same time, I have developed a deep appreciation for the complexity of operating a utility system that our residents depend on every single day, often without seeing the immense infrastructure and dedicated workforce behind it.

As a Washingtonian, a Ward 3 resident and a business owner who works in Ward 8, I experienced this city from multiple perspectives.

And my parents live at the Wharf.

I understand the pressures facing families and small businesses.

Throughout my tenure, affordability has remained at the forefront of my work, particularly as chair of the retail water and sewer rates committee.

The challenge we face is not abstract.

We are responsible for maintaining and modernizing an aging infrastructure system, complying with federal mandates, and investing in long-term environmental improvements, all while being funded primarily by a limited base of ratepayers.

Keeping rates affordable while responsibly funding capital critical capital investments is one of the most difficult balances we must strike as board.

I remain proud of the way DC Water approaches these challenges through transparency, technical excellence, and long-term planning.

Our management team and Team Blue employees consistently demonstrate professionalism and dedication, often working under extraordinarily difficult conditions to ensure uninterrupted service.

Their commitment to this city deserves recognition and support.

In my professional career in construction, I have seen firsthand the importance of sustainable design, resilient infrastructure, and strong project oversight.

I have also advocated for meaningful opportunities for local businesses and residents to participate in major capital programs.

These experiences continue to inform my work on the board, where I ask tough questions, push for efficiency, and support innovation that lowers long-term operating costs.

After more than a decade of service, I also bring historical perspective.

I have seen leadership transitions, evolving regulatory regulatory requirements, major capital program milestones, and shifts in water usage patterns.

That institutional knowledge allows me to evaluate today's decisions with within the broader trajectory of where we have been and where we must go.

It has been an honor to serve alongside such accomplished fellow board members and to work collaboratively with the council and the mayor's office.

I believe deeply in DC Water's mission and in the importance of stable, thoughtful governance as we navigate the years ahead.

Chairperson Allen and members of the committee, I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue contributing my time, expertise, and energy to DC Water.

Thank you for your consideration, and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you very much.

Yes.

Dr.

Ortiz.

Good afternoon, Chairperson Allen and members of the committee.

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.

My name is Jimmy Ortiz, and I am honored to be reconsidered for reappointment to the Board of Directors of DC Water and Sewer Authority.

I am grateful to Mayor Bowser for this nomination, and I appreciate the Council's consideration.

I have been a proud resident of Ward 6 for more than 25 years, and I have long believed in the importance of civic engagement and public service.

In 2024, I retired from the U.S.

Postal Service after close to four decades of service.

I began as a nice shift letter carry and finished as the head of international postal relations office.

Through this experience, I developed expertise in operations, policy, customer service, labor relations, and organization leadership, along with a strong commitment to equity, access, and accountability in public service.

Presently I serve at DC's Water's Governance Committee and co-chair both the Human Resource and Labor Relations and Evaluation Committees.

Throughout my career, I have served on multiple international boards and committees, including those affiliated with the United Nations.

These roles strengthen my experience in planning, project development, diplomacy, and stakeholder engagement.

In addition, I may I remain active in our local community and professional organization, such as Prospanica, formerly known as the National Society of Hispanic MBA, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and Teatro de la Luna, which have reinforced my belief in connection between strong infrastructure and triving communities.

Both a global citizen and a longtime Washingtonian.

I bring a broad perspective to this role.

I have seen firsthand the impact of safe water and reliable sanitation can have on communities.

I believe that access to clean water is fundamental to health, dignity, and stability.

To me, water is not simply a utility.

It's a human right.

If recommended, if reconfirmed, I will continue to work to support transparent and equitable governance at DC Water.

I am committed to strengthening community community engagement, supporting fair and balanced race structure, and advancing initiatives that promote environmental sustainability, infrastructure resilience, and long-term planning.

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.

I will be happy to answer any questions from the committee.

Thank you very much.

And Mr.

McCone.

Chairperson Allen and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.

My name is Vince McConey, and I'm honored to be considered for appointment as an alternate member of the Board of Directors of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority.

I'm a longtime district resident and currently serve as chairperson of advisory neighborhood commission 4E in Ward 4.

Professionally, I have spent more than three decades in senior leadership roles across the Federal Government, including service at the departments of labor, commerce, homeland security, justice, and the Treasury.

Throughout my career, I have overseen large operational organizations, complex budgets, and critical infrastructure systems that support millions of Americans.

These experiences, combined with my longstanding civic engagement in the district, have shaped my deep respect for the institutions that deliver essential public services to our residents every day.

I want to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the mayor for this nomination, to the members of the Council for your consideration.

It is an honor to be considered for service on the board of one of the district's most important public utilities.

Reliable drinking water, effective wastewater management, and the protection of our rivers are fundamental to public health, environmental stewardship, and the continued growth of our city.

The district faces significant challenges and opportunities in the years ahead with respect to water infrastructure.

Across the country, public utilities are confronting the realities of aging systems and the costs associated with modernization, resilience, and regulatory compliance.

DC water is no exception.

The district has made major investments in recent years, including transformative initiatives such as the Clean Rivers program, which significantly reduces combined sewer overflows and improves the health of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers.

At the same time, recent developments, such as the damage to the Potomac Interceptor, underscore the vulnerability of aging infrastructure and the importance of sustained investment monitoring and rapid response capability.

Incidents like this highlight the complex operational, financial, and infrastructure challenges that utilities must manage every day.

Ensuring the reliability and resilience of these systems, while maintaining affordability for district ratepayers will require continued strategic planning, disciplined oversight, and strong collaboration between the board, DC water leadership, the council, and our regional partners.

Another issue that deserves continued focus is the long-term protection of the district's drinking water sources and the health of our rivers.

Potomac River is the primary source of drinking water for this region, and protecting its watershed is critical not only for the district, but for the millions of residents throughout the metropolitan area.

Likewise, the Anacosti and Potomac Rivers are central to the environmental future of our city.

Continued investment in stormwater management, wastewater treatment, and environmental restoration will remain essential to meeting federal clean water requirements and sustaining the remarkable progress the district has made in restoring those waterways.

As an advisory neighborhood commissioner, I also see firsthand how infrastructure investments affect neighborhoods.

DC Water has numerous construction infrastructure projects underway across the city and in my ANC, many of which occur simultaneously within the same communities.

These projects are vital and necessary, but they can create significant disruption for residents when effective coordination and communication are not prioritized as they should be.

If confirmed, I will work to work constructively with DC water leadership to explore ways to improve coordination and communication around construction projects so that residents may receive clear information and on the impacts in their neighborhoods and that the entire process may be managed as thoughtfully as possible.

My career is focused on strengthening organizational performance, improving oversight, and ensuring that public institutions deliver reliable services to the communities they serve.

In Federal service, I have managed large operational enterprises, overseen significant budgets, and worked extensively with oversight bodies such as Inspectors General, the Government Accountability Office, and Congress.

These experiences have reinforced the importance of transparency, accountability, and disciplined governance, principles central to the role of the DC Water Board.

Equally important to me is the perspective I bring as a resident and community representative.

Throughout my service as an advisory neighborhood commissioner and in other civic roles in the district, I have seen how essential it is that large institutions remain responsive to the communities they serve.

Public utilities must operate at the highest technical and operational standards, but they must also remain attentive to the concerns and experience of residents across all neighborhoods of the city.

If confirmed, I will work in this role with humility, independence, and commitment to constructive collaboration.

I look forward to supporting the board's work and ensuring D.C.

Water continues to deliver safe drinking water, protect our rivers, maintain resilient infrastructure, and do so in a manner that is accountable to the residents and ratepayers of the District of Columbia.

Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today.

I look forward to answering your questions.

Excellent.

Thank you, all three of you.

I appreciate your testimony today.

I am going to begin with some questions, which are just timely related to the interceptor break and spill.

This is not an oversight hearing.

We had that with D.C.

Water, but it's still helpful to be able to get your perspectives as board members.

So I'm going to probably focus the first couple of questions for Ms.

Bottton for Dr.

Ortiz, and then we'll come back since you are not on the board right now to some other questions.

Um but I wanted to see if you could just help share uh with the committee a little bit about just what are some of those action steps you feel like the board has needed to take, kind of walking through a little bit of when the spill was first alerted and reported to some of the uh the actions the board jumped in on.

Um I've kind of talked about this before.

While our job is certainly to hold DC water um uh through oversight and accountability uh for the actions, when I went out and visited the site, um I'm a big believer that two things can be true at the same time.

I saw a DC water that had mobilized an incredible amount of uh workforce of materials to help work through and think through uh how to make this repair and get this done, which was completed just recently.

Um at the same time have deep concerns about the environmental impact that is gonna be lasting not just through the repair of this pipe, but I think will be lasting for quite some time as the environmental remediation goes through.

Um you couldn't ask for probably a more complex set of situations between uh locations of Maryland, uh the federal impact, the impact on the district and our waterways, on Virginia waterways.

So it is a complicated uh issue.

But wanted to get your thoughts just as board members that had to wrestle with this.

Can you walk through some of the ways in which you have provided some oversight and um and action as DC Waters had to respond to this?

Sure.

Um and appreciate the question and and really appreciate the fact that you went out to the site and saw the tremendous effort that was taking place in terms of repairing uh the pipe and and obviously starting the environmental remediation, which as you stated will go on for some time.

Um I think when you first asked the question, the thing that came to my mind was exactly what you said that this is a very complex issue with several important stakeholders.

And one of the things that actually came up recently in a board meeting is the fact that our state stakeholders all have a lot of questions and not competing concerns, but they all have concerns about their specific jurisdictions and issues.

Um and lucky for us, the federal government has also come in to try and help manage uh the remediation effort with this because there are so many stakeholders and because of the confluence of federal Virginia, Maryland, DC.

Um there were a lot of questions that were asked by a lot of different board members.

And I think one of the things that's most important when you're on the DC Water board is that you have a fiduciary duty to represent DC water, right?

And sometimes that's hard given what people's professional roles may be and where their personal uh concerns lie.

But I think that um as a regional board, um, we are asking hard questions for not just the regions, but for DC Water and how DC Water was then going to react with all of its partners.

Um I think for us as a board, right?

We um triggered a an internal, obviously, investigation, third-party investigation to make sure that there was transparency and very clear understanding about causation um and what efforts were taken.

And I think that's one of the most important roles that we have as a board is to ensure that transparency, that oversight, and and ensuring that we're being responsive to all the stakeholders.

So I think in board meetings, um, in the last board meeting, you know, I spoke to my colleagues in Maryland and I said, I understand that you have a lot of questions, right?

And I also understand that um you deserve answers to those questions, and I think you should be asking them.

Um, and no one wants to stop you from asking them.

And it also may take time to get those answers because it's not just DC water, it's a tremendous amount of players that are all taking their specific roles.

So I think government governance, transparency, um, accountability are all really important pieces of what the board is doing.

Um and in this specific emergency situation, um, we have really pushed to have um oversight and to look for transparency and understanding in what happened.

And Dr.

Ortiz, yeah, if if if I can you know piggyback on that.

Transparency has been the most important part for us to make sure that the community knows what happened, how we're gonna remediate it, and so it doesn't happen again.

Um I went to a couple of the meetings for our customers, the stakeholders, and I listened to what they were asking and brought that back to the board.

Um this is something that shouldn't happen and hopefully never happens again.

And to make sure that every customer, every stakeholder is, you know, does assurances that we are doing our uh DC Water is doing their very best to make sure that this doesn't happen again.

But the importance of how what this utility means to this community.

So I think if anything is operationally, we've been looking at it, but we I think our main focus has really been on this communications to the community so they know what's happening from day one to this is resolved.

Thanks.

Um could you share a little bit more when uh Mr.

Gaddis and DC Water were here, they talked about the third party investigation.

I think that was one of the things I certainly heard from stakeholders they had um kind of asked for.

How do we how do we know?

How do we make sure there's kind of a third-party independent investigation?

And I think the ability to say that the board had already acted and initiated that I do believe gave some people confidence of okay, that's that's going to be an independent investigation that can be a trusted uh part of the process.

Is that the way the board views it?

Is that it is it is independent from DC Water's internal uh workings such that there's a arm's length independence so that when they come back and report back to you, which I don't know what they're when that investigation is supposed to be done, but when they do that, you're viewing that as an independent third party review coming back and reporting to the board.

Is that I guess the question is am I understanding correctly the intent of what the board is doing?

Yes.

Um my understanding is that that third party is working with the chair and is has requested and received documents from DC Water.

Um so there is probably some amount of uh questioning that is happening from the third party to DC Water, but our understanding from the chair of the board is that the chair is the one who went out, solicited the third party and is managing that separate from DC Water.

Um and I think that that gives us confidence also, right, to make sure uh that what DC Water is saying they think happened is what the third party is also finding happened.

And more than that, even the recommendations that come out of something like that and the investigation, I think will be tremendously helpful.

Um I think all three of us talked about aging infrastructure, and it is a real it's a real challenge, right?

I mean, if we could have unlimited resources, we would be able to solve so many issues so quickly, and without the unlimited resources and you know, the increasing rates for rate payers, it really is a struggle.

But yes, so to my understanding, it is an independent investigation, and that is the purpose of it.

Okay.

And that tracks with my understanding as well, which is that DC Water is gonna do their own internal investigation, of course.

But this is an independent piece uh separate from that.

Dr.

Ortiz, did you want to add to that?

Yeah, yeah.

And definitely uh um we're not only are we interested in what the third party is, and I'm confident that it is a third party, but the results when they come out, the board wants to make sure that it is reported out to the community again on that transparency part, that whatever says good, bad, or indifferent, our stakeholders, our ratepayers will know exactly what it is.

So it's nothing no backdoor stuff.

Okay.

Thank you.

I agree with that.

And do we have a sense of the timeline as to when we think that third party investigation should be completed?

I do not.

But can find out for you.

Okay.

I'd appreciate that.

Um what have some of the conversations been like with the board, with you and your colleagues around um, you know, in light of this, has it triggered a conversation around any type of reordering or re-prioritization of capital projects or re-evaluation of the assessments to then help rank and prioritize?

Because I agree with you.

With limitless resources, uh, we'd be repairing and restoring all of it.

Of course, we know we can't do that.

So we're uh DC Water, I believe, is trying their best to assess where risk may be and then try to prioritize their work.

Uh and that's part of what this investigation will look at, I think, is was that assessment uh accurate in this case or not, or were there external factors that played into it?

But from the board's perspective, how are you looking at either uh questioning or re-evaluating some of those assessments to then feed into the capital planning?

Yeah.

I think that's a great question.

Um obviously the Potomac Interceptor Repair was supposed to start over the summer, right?

And um unfortunately we are at the place we're at.

But um we're in the middle of a budget cycle right now.

Um, and the budget cycle takes a really long time to prepare for DC water.

We go out to all the stakeholders, which is where we are in the process right now.

We're going out to stakeholders and soliciting feedback.

I think part of the discussion with DC Water and why they're doing both the internal and the external is to see if there was an issue with how prioritization happened in the past, right, based on the data that we have, the cameraing, um, age of infrastructure, everything else.

And so I think there probably will be some form of priority reprioritization that will come from the learnings that are occurring right now.

So I don't think there has there uh there have been some contracts that have started in terms of making sure that we have the right emergency contracts in place.

Um, but I don't think a reprioritization has occurred yet.

I know it is in David's plan to make sure that the right projects are gonna go in the right order.

Um, but I think the focus right now has been on the remediation, the repair.

And so I think now that we are in March and the repair has taken place, um, I think that will be the next piece that the DC water management team is going to look at to make sure that the right projects are going in the right order.

And as a board member, we'll as a board will reassure that we're have a voice in that reproachation to make sure that things that need to be done.

Um even after they present it to us, but I know us as a board, we're very keen on making sure things get done.

So okay.

Um then on the environment remediation.

Um this is one that's I think gonna we're talking about the challenging of multiple multiple jurisdictions.

Um I do think this is one where we did not have great communications early on, and at times felt like contradictory type of information about exactly who's in charge of what and what does that plan look like?

So when we think about the river restoration, the environmental remediation.

Um I know I was disappointed and frustrated with DC water, and I think others were too, that a there was very little discussion around uh, you know, I we just read in the paper that there was a special use permit that had been approved, and no one really knew what the plan was yet.

To this day, I have asked, but do not know where the material is even being taken.

Um just apparently we're removing things, but nobody knows where they're going.

Um that hurts transparency when we're not able to understand what the um the impacted and at this point hazardous soil and trees and brush that's being removed from the site and where it's going.

And especially as a community who just saw an entire East Wing demolished and dumped on a golf course down in Haynes Point with no transparency.

I think people can understand there's not a lot of trust right now.

When people say, hey, I'm removing things and I'm not gonna tell you where it's going.

That may not be fair to DC Water, but it's just the world we're living in right now.

So the more that we have information and transparency, the more confidence we have of how we're approaching something like this.

And when I hear other river stakeholders, I get a really strong sense of just a a lack of trust in what that remediation looks like because it there was no draft plan brought to them to get their feedback on.

So how is the board evaluating or looking at what that remediation plan could look like, should look like?

I'm gonna assume there's no one on the board that just has this amazing environmental remediation expertise.

So you're looking how to help draw upon expertise of others to help inform decision making.

Can you just talk a little about how you're trying to tackle that?

Because of course, at the same time, you're trying to make sure get this repair made, get the wastewater flow going again.

We've got a third-party investigation going on.

Let's take a look at our CIP and what, if any, reordering or reprioritization do we have to make, and we've got a budget we've got to plan for, and how we're gonna pay for all of this.

Yeah.

It's a lot.

It's a full plate.

Yeah, it's a lot.

Um so actually there are a lot of board members with a lot of expertise in environmental remediation.

Um Montgomery County is one of the jurisdictions that's been very vocal in asking very clear questions.

Um I appreciate that we have um the director of DOE on our board as well.

I think um the interesting part is that so my understanding, HCMA is coordinating with FEMA and coordinating with other uh EPA and other federal stakeholders.

So actually my understanding is that DC Water hasn't been sort of the quarterback of determining the steps that are going to be taken with with regards to remediation.

And so that might be why you haven't heard directly from DC Water about what the plan is, because it is mostly my understanding being taken from them and managed by the federal government.

So obviously DC Water has a role that they're playing.

But there are a lot of federal stakeholders that have actually come in to help make the determinations and the decisions regarding remediation.

So recently in a board meeting, one of our board members from Maryland were asking a lot of questions about the remediation.

And the answer was we're not we're not in charge of that piece, right?

HCMAs, FEMA is, EPA is.

There are a lot of people that are, but it's not DC Water's decision.

So I think there is maybe a little bit of frustration also on the side of board members who aren't getting answers to those very questions that they want to know also.

But we're also thankful to have the federal partners, right?

Because there is an astronomical cost to this effort, right?

And so to the extent DC rate payers can be shielded from absorbing some of these costs, that's better for us.

But I think that because we're so focused on the pipe repair, and that's what DC Water was was the main quarterback in, they were very focused on that effort.

The remediation piece was going on simultaneously, but because of the number of stakeholders and agencies involved, I think DC Water has less of a say in what is happening.

Okay.

I I think that the I think there's a very strong concern, I share it, of understanding DC Water is absolutely going to be quarterbacking the repair and the priority is getting that pipe fixed.

Yeah.

Um I don't think it's okay for DC Water to say, well, the impact on the river is just not my thing.

That's someone else.

I don't think that they're saying that.

That's definitely not what I'm saying.

But I I do hear a fair amount, and I don't mean to say you personally, I just mean in in terms of the the way in which we're working on this from a DC water perspective, a little bit of a that's gonna be somebody else's job.

HCMA, I mean the spills in Maryland, not in DC.

So HCMA doesn't even have jurisdiction at the spill site from uh environmental remediation.

Yeah it was DC Water is the signatory for the permit for the remediation.

So I think you can't be the one with the permit and also not be the quarterback.

And all of that confusion of who's on first, who's on second, who's calling the shots, I think adds to the the what I feel like is a significant level of just I don't trust what the process looks like.

Um I think that's an area that needs more focus.

I'm grateful to hear some of the board members really asking and drilling down on some of those questions.

Yeah.

I think we need more of that.

I obviously from the district standpoint, great to hear Montgomery County's asking that.

Yeah.

I'd ask our DC board members too, like please drill down those questions too, because any environmental impact at that spill site, even though it's in Maryland, that water's coming south.

So it impacts our local businesses, it impacts my residents who live on the water.

Yep.

Um and I know you know all this.

It is parents down the board, right?

So I I I love that because I know it's close to you.

So all of that is a reason why I I definitely want to ask our DC board members to partner up with Montgomery County and really help make sure we're asking those tough questions to have that level.

Um because I I do think it's in our interest here.

I mean, there's an accountability of while obviously the the spill was not intentional.

Um we can't pretend it didn't happen.

So it is on DC Water to help be a leader in this restoration, welcome federal uh support in that, welcome others.

I don't necessarily trust the federal government right now.

Um but I I welcome if there are more resources coming in, that's a good thing.

So we want to be able to bring that in and take advantage of it.

So I would ask you both uh or all three of you as our DC representatives to really partner up with your fellow board members on this, really please ask those tough questions.

Yeah.

Uh in the same way I know you're gonna ask the tough questions about how did the spill happen?

I mean how did the break happen?

What were the repairs needed?

How did we evaluate this?

I need that environmental remediation to be just as important because it is all of our watch.

Yeah, we want to make sure that uh information that we we get from the federal side of the house.

We'll we'll keep asking those questions and make sure that you know you and the committee get the information of how is it going?

Okay.

I appreciate that.

Um Ms.

Bott, you touched on this a little bit.

Uh do you have the most tenure at this point on the board?

No.

You've got to be close to it then.

Close.

I'm second.

Uh Howard Gibbs has been serving significantly longer than me.

Um I'm the longest tenured woman on the board.

All right.

Well, I think you kind of referenced though of the longevity helps you have an institution an amount of institutional knowledge uh that's important.

Just want to see if you want to add a little more to that about how, whether it be this crisis or any other type of challenge, how have you felt your years of service on the board has helped prepare and kind of arm you for being resilient or asking the tough questions through tougher moments that um sometimes a newer member may just hadn't gone through it before, so not quite sure where and how to push.

Kind of that's we don't always have somebody who has this level of expertise and link to service.

I actually I I think Howard and I really enjoy being able to and do probably almost at every other board meeting say, oh yeah, remember that time when such and such happened.

This is just like that situation, or the last time this happened, this is what we did.

Um and so it's actually been great to um be on the board for so long and have seen you know various leaders, right?

So it's David now, but before David, there was um a while when it was both between George and David, right?

We had um others that managed and seeing everyone's different styles and what works and what is harder to work, um, and then to see over the course of DC Waters' tenure how it was and how it was managed before under George versus David, uh the organization has really blossomed during my tenure, and it has very much professionalized itself.

Um the fact that we have a global reputation is pretty amazing.

Um we have so many uh visitors that come from countries all around the world to tour the facilities because we are such a global leader in this, which I think is really positive for the District of Columbia, right?

I think to be known at a global scale for being a wastewater treatment plant and having the most up-to-date technologies is amazing.

And I think our ability to then send management overseas and around the country to speak on things that um they are the experts in is really exciting and brings back to Washington, D.C.

that that global influence piece that I think is really critical.

So I do very often alongside with Howard, remind board members about how things were dealt with before and why things have changed, um, what decisions we've made on a pretty regular basis.

So it's really nice, actually.

I can definitely, you know, I have witnesses the knowledge that they both bring, but they do ask the tough questions.

Uh I'm always surprised at all the institutional knowledge that they bring behind, and it's really has been a learning for me as I hear them speak about these uh different um when back in the days, this and that, but sometimes they even challenge each other.

So I I think that definitely those tough questions and those tough topics and are being asked.

That's good to hear.

Thank you.

Yeah.

And well, Dr.

Ortiz, let me ask you too.

Uh you know, you're an alternate member, very engaged, obviously serving on several committees.

You know, when I think back to a year or so ago when uh your you were first coming before the committee for that uh the remainder of that term.

Um can you talk a little about what your experience has been, either where it's worked really well or where you found it challenging to be an alternate of when you need to step up into being an alternate and serving in that capacity versus being an alternate board member who doesn't always have the same powers as a full principal board member.

Just gonna have you how you've helped navigate that uh over this past year or so.

Well, I'm I'm glad um my colleagues have treated me just not as an alternate, but just as a regular board member.

Um they ask, they answer, they meet with me.

Um the challenges I think sometimes is between the jurisdictions, you know, dual or things like that, but really hasn't been it's been a learning experience, honestly, but I have never been treated as a second-class citizen, or you know, when I have a question, I I go to Mr.

Gibbs or Mr.

Jackson.

So it I think just a challenge of this.

It's because you sit on the other side.

But don't look at yeah, I sit on the other side but I hear it from them too.

So I'm glad that I think it cut would compliment each other a lot uh even when we don't we agree to disagree, but it's always respectful and things.

I'd be concerned if the board was unanimous on every single issue.

We we need a healthy that's that's one of the things that's a lot of things.

It's always a debate.

Yeah.

Mr.

McConey, let me bring you in to the conversation a little bit.

You're wanting to join the board at a very challenging time.

Um can you talk about what what is um what is attractive about this board?

Appreciate anybody's willingness to serve.

So thank you for that.

Um what what makes the the DC water board um attractive to you in this moment?

Well, let me start by saying you know, water is critical to everything we do, and and I've observed over the years the work that's been done to clean the Potomac.

So not only do we have clean drinking water, but we actually um can use it for recreational purposes and how that has been a focus to shape uh economic development in the district and how vital that is.

And one of my concerns overall is ensuring that we are resilient in how we look at these precious resources.

So we need to protect the Potomac not just for our use now but for future generations.

That is critically important.

Uh I've witnessed just in the federal government alone that when you don't pay attention to your infrastructure, even in our buildings downtown, how impactful that can be.

When I was at the labor department, I got a call one morning because there was smoke coming of our out of our building, downtown on the Perkins building, which doesn't make one comfortable when you're responsible for the building, and found out very quickly that um the uh command center for the DC's tunnel systems by DDOT is integrated and literally built into our building.

And in fact, in that building, the air intake that gets fresh air into the tunnel as vehicles are going down is part of our building.

And what happened is we had a water leak in um this ancient computer room that created the sparks that nearly shut down the tunnels for a while.

And I was struck at how interconnected in the district, particularly where some of our infrastructure was federal infrastructure that was built before home rule and was built in very different circumstances is connected.

So having the opportunity to serve on the DC water board sort of extends both my passion and concern about the future use of the resource, but also my understanding just of what I saw as an individual of the importance of maintaining and paying attention to your infrastructure needs.

Now also I have had experience, I'm one of the few, I think, at my level that served both as a deputy inspector general and uh on the other side running federal programs.

And I think that effective oversight is absolutely critical, and frankly, having some people who have general expertise coming in can bring a fresh set of eyes and fresh set of perspectives to to issues that are being um addressed by boards and other governance committees.

So I very much applaud the independent uh uh investigation that's going on of what happened, the in independent study.

And at times in my careers I've actually invited the inspector general to take that sort of action just to make sure that we weren't missing anything.

These are not gotcha moments, these are something bad happened, and we've got to make sure we avoid it in the future.

Uh I salute the employees of DC Water.

You know, I understand that their quick effort saved a billion um uh uh uh gallons of contaminated water for hitting the Potomac and our waterways, which is great.

Um and I think the emergency efforts that were taken were great.

Now we need to make sure that we understand what happened so that we can try and find ways to ensure that we avoid this to the extent possible in the future.

Um frankly, I'm very honored to actually be sitting next to two people who are so deeply ingrained and understand how the organization operates, how DC water operates.

I'll look to them for their wisdom, suggestions, and guidance, but also part of what being a new member is a new set of eyes, a new set of perspectives, new questions that might be asked, particularly someone from the outside, I think gives you a new opportunity.

Although I would hope, you know, and one of the good things about this board is with the alternate members, it does give you an opportunity to get steeped in, and if an opportunity exists for a non-alternate member, you're not walking in blind to something so very critical.

So to a certain regard, that that's um uh a benefit.

But of course, living in the district, I'm kind of used to having a voice without a vote, and uh uh it hasn't stopped me before, and it's not gonna stop me now.

It's a great way to bring in statehood into that.

I do think it's actually one of the things I've been really impressed with the DC water board is the role in which we've seen just really serious, competent, great people serving as alternates.

And then as we've also had opportunities when a principal member maybe rolls off at some point, we have a whole deep bench of people that aren't learning fresh that are able to step right into that spot.

And so I I do think it's a it's a very successful structure that has worked, so that's good to hear.

Are there any you talked a good bit about infrastructure, couldn't agree more.

Um it's it may not be sexy, it's not gonna hit the headlines until it does.

Umaging infrastructure is just a challenge.

Are there any other big issues that you want to focus on as you tackle this?

And obviously, some of it you're gonna learn as you get on the board, but as you jump into it.

Well, uh one thing I want to point out, I think the presidential declaration was very useful in this circumstance, not just for district and for ratepayers and taxpayers here in addressing the problem, but it sent a message to the entire country of the importance of looking at our water infrastructure in a very serious matter.

Uh because while I understand this interceptor was planned for replacement, um that could happen anywhere else at any time for things that we're just not aware of.

And our you know, looking at the amount of money that uh DC Water has to address some of the infrastructure needs, uh being able to prioritize the most important things and finding new ways and new technologies that can test those assumptions quickly, so that if if the board and the staff need to take a different direction to address more serious problems, uh that's important.

So, you know, what I'm going to bring to the DC Water Board is my senior executive experience, the contacts, the work that I've done throughout a career of the Federal Government.

Um I will focus on governance discipline.

I've always done that, asking the tough questions in respectful ways, working with colleagues.

I've I've already noted that I want to really focus on helping the DC water staff be more sensitive to impacts when you turn off the water in a neighborhood without them knowing at about 10 o'clock at night, which happened three times in the last month in my own neighborhood, and I want to have a few helpful conversations about ways to avoid that.

Um but I you know look at myself as someone who could serve in any number of the committees, HR, LR, um, uh finance and budget, uh which I think is very important, audit, um, governance, you know, those are all areas where I think I would like to uh learn more about the board and its operations where they need support and then get involved in those committees because I think that's also a wonderful way at the beginning of one's term to get fully integrated in the wide variety of issues that that uh face any large organization uh like DC Water or certainly one with such a critical uh mission to serve the public.

Well, you kind of anticipated the next question I was gonna ask you, which is as a ANC commissioner, um you're on the front lines of managing when things maybe aren't going the way we wanted, or when communication didn't quite go the way that people need it.

Um you give a great example, obviously, and I uh appreciate all of our commissioners who, you know, you you just get paid way too much for that job uh as an ANC commissioner and all the staff you have is it's incredible.

Yeah, it's incredible.

But um really grateful for all of our commissioners, but that that's got to give you a kind of a unique experience too to help bring that expertise or experience into DC DC Water.

Yes.

So one, I want to do a shout out right now to the staff who were very responsive to working with me on an issue on 16th Street.

So we're having lead pipe remediation done, which again, we're all very excited about.

We want to get rid of those pipes.

However, um I got an email from um DC Water indicating that they were going to restart construction while we were still in the middle of the snow creep problem, particularly on 16th Street.

So I am all back and I said, okay, I'm not an expert in any of this.

I'm not an engineer, but one, I don't know where you're gonna put stuff, and two, are you gonna get in the way of DPW who's removing the snow so that we can get back to normal business.

They went back and forth, but finally came around and did the right thing and basically held off for a week or two to allow that other work to get done and allow the side streets to open up.

Uh and so I thought that was a very productive example that I'll share with them of what we need to do more of in terms of the town and gown relationships.

Now, in our neighborhood in particular, we're facing, I think, three things all at the same time.

One, we're just about to start the piney branch tunnel, which I am very excited about that um wastewater storage capability that's going to be put there and actually the location is good.

Um however, the construction of that not only is going to disrupt traffic in 16th Street all the way up when um the piney branch uh uh uh uh drive is closed for periods of time, but also just the fact that we're going to be digging and building a very deep tunnel right next to existing homes.

Um, I know they're not going to use TNT, but somehow they're gonna have to break through all of that stuff.

So not only is it important in situations like that to do pre and post to see if there was any damage to properties with that, but also very clear um communication.

You're gonna hear things and feel things these hours because this is when we're digging down and really making sure that the neighborhood is aware of that.

I think the challenge for me in our area, particularly where we're at at 16th Street and Military Road, we seem to be at the crosshairs for a lot of improvements, which we're very excited about.

But the timing of what D DOT is doing, what DPW doing is and what DC Water is doing creates a lot of frustration um within the community.

And so we work very hard in our ANC to provide opportunities for people to clearly articulate what's going to happen and when so that people understand it.

But also we push back on a few things.

You know, for example, uh there's a green infrastructure permeable alley project going on in our neighborhood that's going to be on some of the same alleyways that touch areas where we're working on lead remediation.

And so what we said is like, look, what specifically are you going to be doing because a lot of these residents park in the alleyway and now we're moving their cars and everything onto the streets.

We're also moving where trash pickup happens.

So it's not, you know, it's one thing just saying we're going to start on this date, but then you've got to step back.

Um we need to make sure that WASA is really effectively coordinating with DPW so that all the different parts that serve all of those that provide all those public services that we depend on are coordinated to the extent possible.

And I think you know, one of the superpowers I'll bring is you know, a customer on the street who can say, This is what my neighbors are seeing and feeling, this is what they're complaining to me about, and by the way, don't take it personally, they're excited about the outcomes, but it's how we navigate through the process in the meantime.

Yeah.

I I think that'll be invaluable.

Um I will say my experience uh not dissimilar when I have constituents who will reach out to me frustrated over communications or something on the front end that didn't go the way it was supposed to.

And I had appreciated when I've reached out to DC Water, the team there has gone and you know, sometimes I've personally gone out to that person's home to go stand on their doorstep, apologize and try to figure out how to make it right.

Um it's the front end side of that communication and coordination that's so necessary and needed.

And um I appreciate that you'll I think that's gonna be uh just a very valuable experience as a commissioner to be able to bring into that into that role, so I'm glad to hear it.

Um let me ask a question for all three of you.

Just um we always ask around potential conflicts.

Everybody has had or or is in, you know, a professional career.

Uh where have you seen, do you are there any conflicts that you feel like you need to flag in this setting?

Uh do you feel confident that should a conflict or potential conflict arise, you know how to navigate that correctly, either through your uh professional uh employer or career or with DC water.

Can you talk about potential conflicts?

I don't know who wants to go first, but I I I I have none.

And given the the sensitive roles that I was in um in the government, uh all of my investments and everything were a matter of public record, and uh I don't have any contracts or business with the district at all, so uh nor with WASA.

And if something did come up, because sometimes one never knows, I would obviously deconflict myself from any of those matters.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Yeah, I've had uh very few conflicts arise.

Um I'm often invited because I am a CB business owner to bid on contracts, and I always say that I do not do any work with DC water.

And so I have turned down numerous opportunities to do work.

And uh I think in my tenure, there was only one time where I recused myself because I felt like I just felt uncomfortable.

So I I am very cognizant of it.

Um I understand the process by which to do it.

Um and I have no issues if anything ever arises to remove myself from whatever that issue might be.

Thank you.

Yeah, I don't been on anything.

Uh I was actually one of my earlier concerns was being on the board of No Teatro La Luna because they asked for grants from DC government for the theater, but I have nothing to do with the grant writing or how they get it.

So but if that were to come up, I'll definitely recuse myself.

Um I used to be a federal employee, so everything about me is all over the place.

You know, more some people know more about me than I know about myself.

But if I found myself in that situation, I'd definitely uh ask my colleagues and make sure our legal department to make sure that we're okay.

Okay, great.

Yeah, thank you all for that.

Um Ms.

Bot, you're the chair of the water and sewer rate committee, correct?

Yes.

Okay.

Um so we're going through that process uh with the budget and everything right now.

And in our DC water oversight hearing, we talked about kind of the uh both the conversations that they do and work with the Office of People's Council just to make sure that uh they're following through with the engagement with OPC.

Yeah.

And then go through the community outreach process.

Are there even with all of that?

It still is a fairly condensed time frame in terms of when it goes out to the public before the board has to vote on a final uh recommendation.

Any thoughts you have around ways having gone through it now a few times of ways you would recommend either strengthening, improving that kind of community engagement or outreach?

Are there any lessons learned you have uh that you want to share about the ways in which as many voices as possible are able to broaden to that consideration uh before the board ultimately acts?

Absolutely.

Um so when I first joined the board, actually, that um the the outreach to the public happened in person.

And DC Water would go to each ward and give a presentation and it would be in person and um I remember some of those.

There was a popcorn machine in the back.

Yeah, exactly right.

And in some wards, we would get a tremendous turnout.

And in other words, we get nobody.

And so um we decided to make them virtual.

Um, and I think that was coming out of COVID really.

But what we found is that there is much more engagement when the meetings were virtual.

And so I think that's what the plan has gone to is to make them virtual so that as many people as possible can attend and do provide their feedback.

Um I always wish there was more engagement, right?

Because I'm sure every one of us gets phone calls from friends who complain about their DC water bill.

Um but obviously those friends never appear when we ask them to uh provide comments.

And so I think the move to having meetings be virtual so that people can attend while at work in their car, whatever it might be, in order to get maximum participation, I think is great.

Um it is it is a fairly condensed timeline, but it's not unlike all the other things that pass through and you know get published and then you have to solicit feedback and everything else.

Like we still follow all of those same rules and guidelines.

I think we've always listened to what OPC has to say.

We meet with OPC, um, we have conversations with them, we respond to any questions that they put forth.

Um I mean the issue that I raised in my original testimony is it's hard.

It is very hard to decide what to prioritize with limited funds.

And it's really a push and a pull, and um we struggle with it and we have to make real decisions.

I think one of the things that we requested this year uh I requested two committee meetings ago was that I wanted an affordability um presentation in our rates committee meeting for April.

So it wasn't there was an affordability piece to the rate and budget presentation, but I I didn't feel like it went deeper deep enough.

And so I asked staff to make sure that we had the presentation and we will have one next month.

Um and we talked about revisiting the rates and everything else in June and July, and other colleagues of mine uh on the board, Alex McPhail and Tony Giancola also asked, even in this month's meeting about the status of that presentation to make sure that we're gonna stay on track for April.

So I think we really focus on it and we understand OPC's concerns.

Obviously, they're looking at many utilities, not just uh DC water.

Um and we understand it.

Like we're all rate payers too, sitting up there and asking why are these rates going up.

So uh it doesn't fall on deaf ears, and we really pay a lot of attention to it.

Yeah.

I think uh all utility fees right now are a topic of conversation.

Um I was curious if you can talk a little more, you know, one of the things that I I think the individual household rate uh and utility bills um include all utilities, including water, is something we pay attention to.

Um what we don't often hear as much are frankly from a lot of our local businesses and what the impact is for utilities.

DC water aside, I have the same conversation when we're talking about uh the electric bills.

I absolutely believe we have ratepayers who are angry and frustrated at uh PEPCO bills that are way too high.

Yeah.

But our local businesses are having to absorb these huge costs.

Your DC government is having to absorb these huge costs as well.

So elevated rates impact all of us.

How do you do some of the engagement around your business consumers?

Um your individual household ratepayers, um, they're not going to be afraid to fill up my inbox as well and let me know that they think they're paying too much.

Yeah.

But how do you do engagement or is it a different type of engagement strategies when you're talking to some of our business stakeholders that are also high water users?

Great question.

I don't know that it's a different form of engagement, to be honest.

I think and I don't I historically I haven't seen business come out.

Um I remember actually having met Kirsten uh the first time because she was the head of AOBA, the association of um apartment buildings.

And it was the first time that I had met her, and she was really the only one for years that would come and testify and actually wanted to know the rate increases in advance.

And that's actually a change that we made as partially as a result of her testimony and of others, instead of having a one-year rate increase, we now look at what is it going to be for two years, right?

So it was like really good positive feedback that she was able to provide that made sense for business.

And I wish that business associations would come out and be engaged and would testify.

Um I just unfortunately they don't.

Um I'll see what I can do to help out with that too.

I mean, I I think, for example, of our our hotels.

Yeah.

They're gonna be high water users, yeah.

Restaurants, our water users.

Um they're busy 24 hours a day, just like every other small business I know.

Yeah.

Um, but these are large businesses, these are anchors in the city, and I think um whether it's uh a little more outreach or if I can be helpful to make a connection, I think their feedback would be helpful.

Yeah.

Maybe they kind of shrug their shoulders and just say, well, it's just a cost I gotta absorb, and I'll just figure out how to do it.

Yeah, I feel like that's what a lot of businesses feel is you know, cost of food is rising, cost of health insurance for your employees is right.

Everything is going up.

And so I think DC water is part of that, but everything is increasing.

And it's increasing for DC water, right?

In order to cover the same number of employees and the same health insurance plans and everything else, the costs are higher.

And so I think at least for businesses, there's an offset option, right?

Because they also have the option of increasing their prices when it comes to residents and ratepayers, it's really hard.

And so that's where we really focus our efforts because and we have the lifeline rate, and we have the most affordability programs of any other um water utility in the country.

And so I think all of those are in our favor, and we're constantly looking at them.

So one area that created a lot of concern, um, at least in my neighborhood, was the um the impervious service measurements work that was done.

Yes, yes.

Uh and there was um inadequate communication before that happened.

And certainly that's one where what I heard was look, my family has lived here for 40 years.

We've not added one more inch of concrete anywhere.

Why is my bill going up by this percentage?

Now I will say I think DC Water's bills have not gone up as much as PEPCO.

I mean, electricity bills everyone saw all of that and it was jarring last year when we saw that.

I actually we got solar installed um to try and you know uh worry uh help us uh with future inflation in that area.

DC water has been better, but again, some of this is all timing too.

So people are seeing their rates going up.

We're seeing other uh utility impacts which are affecting affordability, and then particularly our older residents are getting these letters saying that things are gonna go up even more.

So I think you know, uh the board's gonna have to take a look at that and also for some of those issues really help staff understand better ways to communicate and start building public education about some of those changes, which might indeed be necessary, but shouldn't be just dropped on people.

I also think the the board was what was responsible for pulling that back in terms of timing because we all got the letters and we I mean, as people that attend meetings all the time, we were like, what is this, right?

And um our colleague uh Alex McPhail was the first one to email and say, I got this letter and why?

Like why do I not know about this?

What's happening?

Uh and the board pushed to have that pulled back because there was an adequate notice education program.

And to DC water management's credit, they immediately understood, agreed with us, and have made strides to correct that.

So I think that's where the board and management work in partnership and it's really successful.

So yes, all of us were in that same place.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Agreed.

Another topic that we won't solve tomorrow, but the board obviously has a huge role in helping think through how we manage a solution.

And that's of course our secondary source for water.

You know, uh I also serve as the vice chair of the uh Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

And COG was a really great partner with DC Water and others thinking through like we need to start talking about it and not pretend it's it's state secret.

Um it's a real issue.

And if we're ever going to find the political will or the money to find a secondary source, we have to start really helping people understand what this means.

And I um I saw, like as we were watching the media help respond and navigate their responses through the Potomac Interceptors bill, some of them actually were able to start talking about all right, why does this matter?

Where's the location of the spill matter?

All right, well, our our water source is coming in above where the break happened, so that can help tell us our drinking water is safe to continue to drink.

But what if this had happened above the break?

What if, and I think it started to help people realize this is a big deal, actually.

We really need to think through a strategy here.

And so kind of one of curious um to our existing uh board members, just kind of some of the steps you think you're taking uh trying to help again keep that moving forward again.

Not going to pretend a solution is easy or that it's coming tomorrow, but how we're moving in that, and then to Mr.

McConey, as you're joining the board, how do you feel like you're up to date on the need for a secondary source and um any thoughts that you want to share that?

Yeah, I mean that's that's one of the biggest learned learnings for me about a secondary source of water is is uh something that is at every board meeting, at least the ones that we have is discussed.

I think there is we're looking to push and exactly what you said, if if if this was below that break, and now it's in the forefront, and I think now is uh time to really push it again.

If there's a time to do it, it's it's time to do it now.

Yeah.

Um, I I give David a lot of credit.

This has been at the forefront of his mind for a very long time, and it has been discussed by multiple board chairs.

Um and I think you're right, now it's more out in the open and and we're talking about it, which um is wonderful.

Unfortunately took the Potomac Interceptor for me to hear it for the first time on WTOP.

I never heard it talked about.

And actually, I was really excited that the conversation is being had.

I was excited to hear that the aqueduct is um engaging and has is talking about it.

I think DC Water has been engaging for a very long time with the aqueduct.

Um it is very critical.

And I think you know, looking at what ways other water utilities have done this.

Um, I actually went to Dubai uh over winter because I really wanted to see what it is that they do, and I learned so much about cloud seeding and all sorts of things that other places do uh in terms of water.

But I think you know, pure water DC and and campaigns that we are rolling out about that option is really exciting.

Um I think that a lot of jurisdictions use that as an option.

We need to really be serious about considering it because I think some of the other options, the quarries and everything else are super expensive and will take a really long time, and it is good to see that DC Water has, I mean, they've been working behind the scenes on this for a very long time.

Um I think this year, last year and this year are the first times when it's been really public and really out in the open and it's exciting.

So I'm I'm looking forward to where we go with it, and hopefully soon.

Yeah, I'm sure we're gonna get a lot of support for it now.

Um second source is now to all our federal partners listening.

They should be excited about this.

Absolutely.

And come to the table here.

Mr.

McConey, well, welcome your thoughts.

So climate change is occurring every day, which is affecting um clean water availability everywhere.

And you know, with our reliance solely on the Potomac, um, we're already at risk from something major happening that we can't anticipate.

And my worry, and I think we need to be very aggressive and assertive moving forward is after something happens in the public and you see it, there's a response, the problem's fixed.

That problem sort of fades away, and people forget about it, and other things become more important.

For the district, for the three states that share this jurisdiction and share this precious resource.

We've got to ensure that we do everything to keep it clean, but we also need to have a plan B.

Because there are things that could happen that we don't anticipate, don't understand, um, aren't expecting, aren't prepared for, that could literally cut off our water source.

And that's a position you don't want to be in.

And you just look at some of the natural disasters that have have affected other communities around the country where water has been affected even temporarily, the um problems and challenges that's faced.

So I think we need to use this as the beginning of a sustained discussion for our region about a plan B and a plan C so that we're ready and more resilient.

Right now we are not resilient in this area.

And that's not a good place to be in.

Because if there's one thing I want to be resilient in, it's water, because I can't live without that.

And the other thing is I like the air to be clean.

Um so those are two very critical things.

And and actually, as you know, I was thinking about this appointment became one of the things that I'm like, this is something that I want to champion uh and make sure that people don't forget it and that it doesn't disappear and then it pops up again, and we go, oh why, we should have done something a long time ago.

Um we've seen that.

That happens in government all the time.

We we know the problem and we do have ideas about the solutions.

It is going to take the political will uh to be able to actually change it.

And I I do hope I I don't think we solve it without the federal partnership to bring money and resources and will to the table.

And so making sure that they're a part of that uh regardless of administrations.

It's a the federal government has a very keen interest in making sure that the capital city has water.

Being the seat of government has its advantages sometimes.

And that is one of them.

Yes, and we need to motivate them properly for this.

Yes.

Um just somewhat relatedly, uh obviously the aqueduct, the board had taken an action to have DC Water explore what it would look like to be able to actually have the aqueduct.

Um I think it makes a lot of sense.

The questions I would have is how does the board evaluating DC Water's capacity and ability should any type of arrangement work to assume such a major operation and infrastructure project.

So I think that's the whole point of allowing DC Water to explore the idea.

Um that we don't have answers for that yet.

Uh I'm sure David does in his mind about how he would.

He was very confident in the oversight question when I had asked him, I said you he's like, we got this tomorrow.

Yeah.

I'm not entirely I I I don't doubt that the capacity could be built, but I want to make sure how's the board sounds like that's what you're answering for me here.

Is you're helping evaluate what that would look like, not uh the sale if it happened next week.

I mean, it's you know, it the the conversations on our board are very interesting about that topic because it's multi-jurisdictional again, right?

Um I think there are parts of our board that believe very strongly that it could happen tomorrow and would welcome that, and I think that there are other parts of our board that would be concerned if suddenly it was all turned over to DC Water when their jurisdictions, water utilities are also ratepayers and part of the aqueduct.

So I think um the purpose in giving DC water the ability to explore it was to make sure that all questions get answered and that all board members are making decisions from the same place and the same amount of knowledge.

I do think that when it comes time to make that decision and to have those kinds of votes, that again we have to all wear our DC water hats.

Yes.

Right.

And that's challenging because it may require some board members to potentially recuse themselves of being able to vote on that topic if they can't put their DC water hat on.

Well, and I think my my interest is a little bit of what I think you described.

It's not necessarily how do the dynamics of the board work out over whose stakeholder is whose.

I want a board that's evaluating do we have the capacity?

Yeah.

What would it look like for us to invest to build the capacity to be able to have this type of operation?

Absolutely and so kind of your your comment about the fiduciary responsibility as a board member.

Can you do this?

It how would you do it has to be answered before it's a should you do this?

Should you do this?

Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely.

And I think that and it's nice because neighboring jurisdictions have held us very accountable.

And again, have been very vocal about the questions and concerns that they have, right?

And that's what makes our board so valuable.

Um we have disagreements and there's healthy discourse and debate, and um solutions will arrive from that healthy discourse and debate.

Um, we're gonna start wrapping up.

All right.

So I appreciate it.

Um, let me say I appreciate both for our returning members, grateful for your service.

Um it is no small amount of time and effort and energy that you put into serving on the board.

So really appreciate you doing that and being willing to do it again.

And of course, anybody who wants to join the board.

Uh grateful for the willingness to do that.

Obviously, um with both your career uh on the federal public service side, the ANC commissioner local service side.

I'd have no doubts around a commitment, a deep commitment to public service and understanding the rules and responsibilities there.

Uh, and so I appreciate it very much.

So this is going to conclude the committee's public round table on proposed resolutions 26-482, 483, 485, 486, and 487.dc council dot gov backslash hearings until then.

The next scheduled meeting of the committee is on Thursday, March 26, 2026, when the committee will hold a public hearing on six bills.

Bear with me for a second while I read them all out.

Bill 26-105, the improving tenant access to water bills amendment act of twenty twenty-five.

I know you'll all be interested in that one.

Bill 26-124, the utility disconnections protection act of 2025.

Bill 26-595, the Transparent Rates and Utility Expenses Amendment Act of 2026, and Bill 26-602, the guiding renewable interconnection and distribution amendment act of 2026, also known as the Grid Act of 2026.

You can sign up to testify at the hearing using the Council's hearing management system until the close of business on Monday, March 23rd for that hearing.