Some financers require that a Water and Sewer Availability Letter be provided prior to the financer approving a loan. This letter identifies whether there is water and sewer available to the project site and which lines are not available for connection. Per the District of Columbia Building Code utilities are considered available if a residential lot is within 100-feet; a commercial lot is within 250-feet measured along the centerline of a street or public way abutting the lot.

This letter only advises you that water and sewer mains are available to service this project. This is not an approval to connect to these facilities or a certification that there is adequate capacity in these mains to serve the proposed development. A Water and Sewer Availability Certificate will be issued after the approval of the project plans and the payment of all the appropriate fees.

Your financer will ask for this if it is required.

As directed by your financer.

1. A letter on company letterhead requesting the Water and Sewer Availability Letter. Please identify whom to address the availability letter.
2. Project information including the following:
   • Plan sheet showing the project location and service locations if know. Google Maps is often a good source for this map.
   • Intended use (commercial, multifamily, industrial, etc.)
   • Square/lot/address
   • Approximate building square footage
   • Number of stories

Send email with letter and documents at the following address: application@dcwater.com 

Approximately four weeks.

Water and Sewer Availability Letter on DC Water letterhead.

Please see the Permit Fee page for additional information about fees related to permitting.

DC Water will accept payment of checks or money order made payable to DC Water.

DC Water Permit Operations Department at 202-646-8600

DC Water will not allow any connections to 16-inch and larger water mains unless it the only main available and that main is providing service connections to other buildings. Adding an additional valve on that large water main may be required in order to shut down the main for installation and/or maintenance.

DC Water will not allow connections to water or sewer mains in alleys unless the property does not have direct access to a public roadway containing public water and/or sewer mains.