Peoples

Water Board

AFSCME Local 207*

Detroit Eviction Defense
Great Lakes Bioneers - Detroit
Detroit Black Community Food
Security Network (DBCFSN)*
East Michigan Environmental
Action Council (EMEAC)*
Moratorium NOW*
Sisters of Mercy

Baxter's Beat Back the Bullies Brigade

Detroit Greens*
Matrix Theater Company
Detroiters Resisting Emergency
Management (D-REM)
Michigan Coalition for Human Rights
(MCHR)
Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute
Small Ville Learning Farms
We the People of Detroit

Food & Water Watch

Detroit People's Platform
For the Love of Water (FLOW)
Michigan Emergency Committee
Against War and Injustice (MECAWI)*
Michigan Welfare Rights Organization
(MWRO)*
Sierra Club*
Voices for Earth Justice
*Founding members

Detroit Needs Affordable Water Service: Just the Facts

February 2015

Water shut-offs

In March 2014 the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department announced it would begin an
aggressive water shut-off campaign, disconnecting service for 1,500 to 3,000 city customers every
week for nonpayment.

More than 33,000 Detroit households an estimated 90,000 people lost water service for
nonpayment during 2014.
Nearly 14,000 households an estimated 38,000 people remained without water service at
the end of 2014.
About 148,000 residential customers half of households were more than 60 days past due
on their water and sewer bills and faced losing water service as of January 8, 2015. They owed
an average of $647.

Unaffordable water bills

This is a major crisis. When half of the city struggles to pay its water bills, it becomes clear that this
is not just a problem with delinquent payment. Its indicative of broader, systemic issues resulting
from decades of policies that put profits before people.

39.3 percent of Detroit residents and more than half of children are living in poverty.
Detroits most recently reported unemployment rate from December 2014 is 12.2 percent
more than twice the national rate.

Over the last decade, water and sewer bills have more than doubled. Rates continue to increase.

On July 1, 2014 the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department increased residential water and
sewer rates by 8.7 percent, increasing average household bills from $64.99 to $70.67 a month.
The department has proposed another 12.8 percent rate increase for city residents beginning
July 1, 2015.

A significant portion of Detroits population simply cannot afford to pay their water and sewer bills.

Solutions

Local: The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department needs to fully implement the water
affordability plan passed by the city council in 2006. An income-based approach to water billing is
the most equitable option.

National: Detroit and communities across the country need a renewed federal commitment to our
water and sewer infrastructure. Congress should create a dedicated source of federal funding for
the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds and renew the Build America Bonds
program.