Washington, D.C., water district installs 1.8-MW system through Solar for All program

Washington, D.C.'s water utility, DC Water, has finished building a large solar array — 1.8 megawatts — on top of its Brentwood Reservoir, an underground concrete tank that holds about 25 million gallons of drinking water. The panels sit on space that was otherwise unused, turning it into a source of clean power.

The project is part of D.C.'s Solar for All program, which sets up "community solar" — where residents don't need panels on their own roof to benefit, but instead get credited for a share of power from a larger array elsewhere. This installation is expected to cut electric bills roughly in half for more than 500 income-qualified households in the city, adding up to about $3.8 million in savings over the life of the system. It was built by NHT Ingenuity Power along with DC Water, Working Power, NEO Energy, SunLight General Capital, and city agencies including the DC Department of Energy and Environment and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility.

This is one of more than 250 Solar for All community solar projects the DC Sustainable Energy Utility has helped develop since 2019, together reaching over 11,000 income-qualified families and delivering more than $80 million in lifetime savings. If you live in D.C. and qualify by income, this kind of program is worth knowing about, since it can lower your electric bill without requiring any equipment on your own home. Other states run similar community solar or income-based solar programs, so it may be worth checking what's available where you live.