Council committee holds roundtable on three DC Water alternate board nominations, focuses on lead pipes, affordability and secondary source

Charles Allen, Ward 6 council member and chair of the D.C. Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment, convened a public roundtable May 8 to consider three mayoral nominations to the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) board of directors: Robert Hawkins (PR26-171), Dr. Jimmy Ortiz (PR26-173) and Dr. Alexander McPhail (PR26-174). The committee heard testimony from Dr. McPhail and Mr. Hawkins; Dr. Ortiz had a scheduling conflict but met earlier with the chair and his written remarks are part of the record. The committee did not take a confirmation vote at the session; the hearing record remains open through May 22, 2025.

The hearing combined standard nominee introductions with extended questioning about DC Water priorities: replacing lead service lines, increasing enrollment in affordability programs, reducing multifamily arrearages and planning for a secondary water source. Chair Allen said the committee would accept written testimony through the council’s hearings portal through the close of business on May 22, 2025.

Dr. Alexander McPhail, who served on the DC Water board from 1989 to 2006 and holds a Ph.D. in environmental engineering, described a career focused on water…