Menu Close

DC Water Testing for Lead in Multifamily Housing

The District of Columbia Code Title 42 Chapter 32A Section 52 requires any landlord of a multi-family building of 3 or more units to comply with water testing in the following manner:

Testing

(a) The Mayor shall require the owner of a multiple dwelling to order a water lead level test kit from WASA to sample the tap water in a dwelling or rooming unit for the presence of lead within 15 calendar days of a written request to do so by a rental tenant or owner-occupant of the unit. The rental tenant or owner-occupant shall also send a copy of this written request to the Mayor.

(b)(1) The owner shall order a water lead level test kit for each rental tenant and owner-occupant of the dwelling who requests a test, up to a maximum of 2% of the total units in the multiple dwelling or 6 units, whichever is less. In multiple dwellings of less than 50 units, the owner shall order at least one water lead level test kit if requested to by a rental tenant or owner-occupant of the dwelling.

(2) An owner shall be required to order a water lead level test kit pursuant to this chapter no more than once in a 6-month period for each unit whose rental tenant or owner-occupant requests a test kit.

(c) WASA shall send a water lead level test kit to each owner upon request. At the time WASA sends a water lead level test kit to an owner in response to a request pursuant to this chapter, WASA shall also send written notice to the Mayor that it has sent the water lead level test kit.

(d) Within 15 calendar days of receiving the water lead level test kit from WASA, the owner shall provide the water lead level test kit to an occupant of each unit being tested and send written certification to the Mayor that the owner has provided the kit.

(e) The rental tenant or owner-occupant of the unit being tested shall send a sample of the water it collects from the unit to WASA to have it tested for the lead level.

(f) WASA shall ensure the conducting of a lead level test of the water sample at its expense and shall mail the result of the water lead level test to both the dwelling owner and to the rental tenant or owner-occupant of the unit in which the water sample was collected when the result is available.

(g) Within 15 calendar days of receiving the water lead level test result from WASA, the owner shall:

(1) Provide a written copy of the water lead level test result to any rental tenant or owner-occupant of the multiple dwelling who requests a copy of the test result and post the test result in a conspicuous place on the dwelling’s premises; and

(2) Send written certification to the Mayor that the owner has provided a written copy of, and posted, the water lead level test result in the manner prescribed by this subsection.

DC Code § 42–3252.

Violations

(d) Failure of an owner to comply with the provisions of this chapter upon a determination by the Mayor that a violation has occurred shall be punishable by a fine of $100 for each day of noncompliance.

DC Code § 42–3253.

See also DC Landlord Lead Plumbing Tenant Disclosure.

Return to District of Columbia Landlord-Tenant Laws.