The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DCWASA) signs off on raze permit applications after the applicant pays all outstanding water and sewer bills and water and sewer service abandonment fees. The abandonment fees are $1595 for small water connections, $1895 for large water service connections and $1900 for the sewer services. A service is the pipe connected to the public water main or sewer in the street. A large water service connection is 3-inches and larger. Raze permits are required when a building is being completely removed from a site. For details of the procedures, see the abandonment section for water or sewer connections.

DCWASA reviews and signs raze permit applications. DCWASA requires applicants to abandon the water and sewer services where these pipes are connected to the public pipes in the public street area. DCWASA does not charge any fees for raze permits. Applicants must pay all outstanding water and sewer bills before DCWASA signs-off on raze permits. DCWASA will not shut down water mains for new connections until the old water connections are disconnected from the public water main. The applicant will need a public space permit to abandon sewer and water connections to the public pipes in the street.

Applicants can request temporary waivers to delay the abandonment of either the water or sewer services for the following reasons:

1. The water service is large enough for a new building and the pipe material is not cast iron, lead, galvanized steel or brass. The applicant must prove the new building will be constructed within two years of the razing of the old building.
2. The sewer service is large enough for a new building and the pipe does not have any damage or construction defects. The applicant must have the sewer service televised so that DCWASA can review a video tape to determine its conditions. DCWASA will allow the re-use of the service if the videotape shows the pipe is in good condition. In some cases, DCWASA may allow the applicant to have the pipe lined by a cured-in-place process, which does not require any excavation in the street. A small hole will have to be dug at or near the property line to install this liner.
3. The applicant will abandon the water service at the time the new connections are made for a new building. DCWASA will require a security deposit for each service. DCWASA will return this deposit to the applicant after the water and sewer services are abandoned according to DCWASA specifications.

Section 104, Water and Sanitation, Title 21, District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR) contains the applicable regulations for abandonment of water connections. DCWASA allows applicants to hire plumbers certified by the District of Columbia to abandon water services.

Small water connections are defined as connections 2-inch and smaller diameter and consist of a corporation stop tapped into the public water main. The abandonment consists of removing the corporation stop and installing a plug in the hole. The remaining service connection pipe is abandoned in place. Large water services are defined as pipes that are 3-inch and larger in diameter and consist of a tee in the public water main with a valve on the pipe connected to this tee. The abandonment procedure depends upon the size and type of joints. The abandonment consists of removing the valve and the tee and then installing a straight run of pipe. The remaining service connection pipe is abandoned in place. If the existing water main is 16-inch and larger and having poured lead joints, the tee is plugged, or the branch pipe is cut, capped, and blocked.

DCWASA charges fixed fees to inspect the abandonment of large water services. If a small water service is to be abandoned and another small water connection is to be installed at the same location, a fee is charged for both, abandonment and installation of one connection. If a large water connection is to be installed at the same location where a water connection is to be abandoned, only the cost to shutdown the water main and inspect the installation of the new large water connection is charged.

DCWASA requires applicants to abandon the sewer service where it is connected to the DCWASA sewer in public space. By law, the Plumbing Inspection Branch of the Building and Land Regulation Administration, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) inspects the abandonment work. DCWASA also inspects these abandonments.