Owner of small Southeast DC apartment building says city should pay for faulty water valve causing low water pressure

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Quality water pressure is something most of us take for granted. Archibald Djabatey says his building doesn't always have it.

"When I’m getting up to go to work in the morning, I could be taking a shower and then the shower just cuts off," said Djabatey who lives in the small apartment building and manages it. He says these apartments are affordable housing.

“Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad," said Araminta Boyd, one of Djabatey's two tenants. “I couldn’t use the sink or the tub and that was destroying to me because I take a bath in the morning and night.”

Djabatey says he’s reached out to DC Water several times since 2021 to see if they would fix a broken valve.

"Initially they said they were going to fix it,' he said. "They admitted that the water meter and all associated pipes were their responsibility. Then after that, they came back and said it wasn’t their responsibility, that it was my responsibility. That I should find a plumber to fix it.”

A fix, Djabatey says, would cost him between $5,000 and $10,000.

He says DC Water told him the faulty valve is on his property, therefore he needs to pay for the repairs, but he says that valve is under a sewer cap which is on a city sidewalk.

“If I came out here and did something and DOB or somebody came out, they would tell me to stop, because it’s not my property. It’s not mine," said Djabatey. "It’s clearly on public space, it’s clearly on the grass, sidewalk area. It’s not my property.”

He says he’s reached out to the Attorney General, Office of the People’s Council, and his councilmember, but no repairs have been made.

“The easy fix is just to come in, change these valves, put lever valves on it to allow water to come on to the property adequately," said Djabatey.

WUSA9 reached out to DC Water for comment and are waiting for a response.