DC Water, the water utility serving Washington, D.C., has completed a 1.8-megawatt solar installation atop its Brentwood Reservoir property. Delivered through the District's Solar for All program, the facility is expected to generate utility bill savings for more than 500 income-qualified D.C. households and up to $3.8 million in lifetime electricity bill savings, contributing to the city's climate, clean energy, and energy equity objectives. The solar array sits above an underground reinforced concrete reservoir that stores approximately 25 million gallons of potable water. The project is one example of how water utilities are leveraging surface infrastructure — such as reservoirs, treatment plants, and storage tanks — to host distributed solar generation without competing for land.

Project partners marked the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week. The community solar initiative was led by NHT Ingenuity Power, a joint venture of the National Housing Trust and Urban Ingenuity, which serves as an innovation lab of Working Power. It ranks among the largest community solar projects in the District.

"By converting underutilized spaces into renewable energy assets, this project demonstrates the power of reimagining critical infrastructure as sources of clean energy," said Richard Jackson, Director of the DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). "The District is proud to help deliver meaningful bill savings for residents while advancing a cleaner, more affordable future."

The project was developed through a collaboration among NHT Ingenuity Power, DC Water, Working Power, NEO Energy, SunLight General Capital, DOEE, and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU).

"We're thrilled the Brentwood Reservoir Community Solar project is completed. As one of D.C.'s largest community solar projects, this will effectively cut energy bills in half for over 500 low-income residents in the area," said Niki Molina, Working Power Chief Operating Officer and Asset Manager. "Community solar can mean hundreds of dollars in annual savings for families — money that could go toward food, school supplies or medical bills."

The DCSEU partners with DOEE to administer the Solar for All program and collaborates with solar developers such as NHT Ingenuity Power to build large-scale community solar projects throughout the city. Community solar allows subscribers — particularly households that cannot install rooftop panels — to receive credits on their electricity bills from a shared solar facility. D.C.'s CleanEnergy DC Act of 2018 established targets of 100% renewable electricity by 2032 and carbon neutrality by 2050, framing programs like Solar for All as components of the city's legally binding climate strategy.

Since 2019, the DCSEU has worked with local developers and contractors to bring online more than 250 Solar for All community solar installations. These projects are expanding solar power access to over 11,000 income-qualified families and are projected to deliver more than $80 million in lifetime electricity bill savings.