Committee Roundtable on DC Water Board Nominations (PRs 26-482, 483, 485, 486, 487) – March 20, 2026
Committee Roundtable on DC Water Board Nominations (PRs 26-482, 483, 485, 486, 487) – March 20, 2026
On March 20, 2026, the Committee (chaired by Chairperson Allen) held a public roundtable to consider multiple resolutions from the Mayor regarding appointments to the DC Water Board of Directors. The resolutions include the reappointment of Rajna Bhutani Bot as a principal member, the reappointment of Dr. Jimmy Ortiz as an alternate member, and the appointment of Vince McCone as an alternate member. No public witnesses registered to testify, but written testimony will be accepted until March 23, 2026. The nominees testified and answered questions from the committee.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public witnesses were registered for the roundtable. The committee will accept written testimony through the Council's hearing management system until close of business on Monday, March 23, 2026.
Discussion Items
- Potomac Interceptor Break & Environmental Remediation: Chairperson Allen questioned the board's oversight actions. Ms. Bott stated the board initiated an independent third-party investigation separate from DC Water's internal review, with the board chair managing that investigation. Dr. Ortiz emphasized transparency and community communication. Chairperson Allen expressed frustration over unclear communication regarding environmental remediation (e.g., where contaminated material is being taken) and urged DC board members to partner with Montgomery County colleagues to press for answers. Ms. Bott noted that federal agencies (FEMA, EPA) are coordinating remediation, which limits DC Water's direct control, but acknowledged the need for more focus on this area.
- Affordability & Rate Setting: Ms. Bott, chair of the retail water and sewer rates committee, discussed the shift to virtual public meetings for rate hearings, which increased engagement. She noted the challenge of balancing infrastructure investment with ratepayer affordability and highlighted that DC Water has the most affordability programs of any water utility in the country. Mr. McCone raised concerns about the impervious surface measurement rollout, which lacked adequate communication, and the impact of cumulative utility cost increases on residents.
- Secondary Water Source: All nominees stressed the importance of developing a secondary water source for the region, given the reliance on the Potomac River. Ms. Bott noted that the Potomac Interceptor break has increased public awareness and urgency. Mr. McCone committed to championing this issue and emphasized the need for federal partnership. Ms. Bott also mentioned DC Water's exploration of the potential acquisition of the Washington Aqueduct.
- Capital Project Prioritization: Ms. Bott stated that the board is in the middle of a budget cycle and that learnings from the interceptor break investigation will likely lead to reprioritization of capital projects. No decisions have been made yet, but emergency contracts have been initiated.
- Community Coordination: Mr. McCone, as an ANC commissioner, shared examples of poor coordination between DC Water projects and other city works (e.g., lead pipe remediation during snow removal, multiple projects on 16th Street). He pledged to use his experience to improve communication and coordination with neighborhoods.
- Conflict of Interest: All three nominees confirmed they have no conflicts and understand the recusal process. Ms. Bot noted she has declined business opportunities with DC Water. Mr. McCone and Dr. Ortiz also stated they would recuse themselves if needed.
Key Outcomes
- The roundtable concluded with no vote on the resolutions. The committee will continue to accept written testimony until March 23, 2026, and will consider the appointments at a later date.
- The next scheduled committee meeting is a public hearing on March 26, 2026, covering several water-related bills: Bill 26-105 (improving tenant access to water), Bill 26-124 (utility disconnection protections), Bill 26-595 (transparent rates), and Bill 26-602 (the Grid Act of 2026).
- Chairperson Allen expressed appreciation for the nominees' service and commitment, and noted the importance of rigorous oversight, especially regarding environmental remediation and capital planning.
Meeting Transcript
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.
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