H. R. 5778 

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and eight 

An Act 

To preserve the independence of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘District of Columbia Water 

and Sewer Authority Independence Preservation Act’’. 

SEC. 2. ENSURING INDEPENDENCE OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY. 

(a) CLARIFICATION OF INAPPLICABILITY OF 2005 OMNIBUS

AUTHORIZATION PROVISION.—The District of Columbia Home Rule 

Act is amended— 

(1) by redesignating the section 424 added by section 

202(a)(1) of the 2005 District of Columbia Omnibus Authorization Act (Public Law 109—356; 120 Stat. 2036) as section 

424a; and 

(2) in section 424a, as so redesignated, by adding at the 

end the following new subsection: 

‘‘(e) INAPPLICABILITY TO WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.—The 

authority of the Chief Financial Officer under this section does 

not apply to personnel of the District of Columbia Water and 

Sewer Authority established pursuant to the Water and Sewer 

Authority Establishment and Department of Public Works Reorganization Act of 1996.’’. 

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by subsection 

(a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the 2005 

District of Columbia Omnibus Authorization Act. 

SEC. 3. PRESERVING EXISTING INDEPENDENCE OF DISTRICT OF 

COLUMBIA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Part F of title IV of the District of Columbia 

Home Rule Act (sec. 1—204.91 et seq., D.C. Official Code) is 

amended— 

(1) by amending the heading of such part to read as follows: 

‘‘PART F—INDEPENDENT AGENCIES AND AUTHORITIES’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following new section: 

‘‘INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, PERSONNEL, AND PROCURE- MENT AUTHORITY OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WATER AND SEWER

AUTHORITY

‘‘SEC. 496. (a) FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, PERSONNEL, AND

PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding any other provision 
H. R. 5778—2 

of this Act or any District of Columbia law, the financial management, personnel, and procurement functions and responsibilities 

of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority shall be 

established exclusively pursuant to rules and regulations adopted 

by its Board of Directors. Nothing in the previous sentence may 

be construed to affect the application to the District of Columbia 

Water and Sewer Authority of sections 445A, 451(d), 453(c), or 

490(g). 

‘‘(b) CONSISTENCY WITH EXISTING AUTHORIZING LAW.—The 

rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors of the 

District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority to establish the 

financial management, personnel, and procurement functions and 

responsibilities of the Authority shall be consistent with the Water 

and Sewer Authority Establishment and Department of Public 

Works Reorganization Act of 1996, as such Act is in effect as 

of January 1, 2008.’’. 

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—(1) The table of contents of such 

Act is amended by amending the item relating to part F of title 

IV to read as follows: 

‘‘PART F—INDEPENDENT AGENCIES AND AUTHORITIES’’. 

(2) The table of contents of such Act is further amended by 

adding at the end of the items relating to part F of title IV 

the following: 

‘‘Sec. 496. Independent financial management, personnel, and procurement authority of District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority.’’. 

SEC. 4. PRESERVING EQUAL ELIGIBILITY OF RESIDENTS OF JURISDICTIONS SERVED BY DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WATER AND 

SEWER AUTHORITY TO SERVE AS EMPLOYEES OF 

AUTHORITY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 213 of D.C. Act 17—172 is repealed, 

and each provision of law amended by such section is restored 

as if such section had not been enacted into law. 

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (a) shall take effect as if 

included in the enactment of D.C. Act 17—172. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.