n/a

Water supply restored to thousands of Detroit families while COVID-19 a threat

By agency reporter
March 11, 2020

A coalition of civil rights attorneys and organisations that petitioned the Governor to end the Detroit water shutoffs have welcomed the announcement that water service will be restored for thousands of Detroit families while COVID-19 remains a threat.

As elected officials recognise the risk of a public health emergency for residents whose water has been terminated, this coalition continues to demand that elected officials follow the lead of other communities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Chicago, and enact a permanent solution in the form of a water affordability plan indexed to residents’ income. They say the Coronavirus is not the first, and will not be the last threat to public health that requires such fundamental shifts to just, equitable and human rights-respecting water affordability policies.

On 9 March 2020 Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) officials announced a plan to go into effect on 11 March 2020 to restart Detroit residents’ water whose service has been terminated. Residents must call the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency in order to request restoration of their water service for one month to be paid by the state, and thereafter residents must pay $25 per month for the duration of the threat of this virus.

Mark Fancher, Racial Justice Project staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, said: “Water is a human right regardless of whether there is a threat of any particular disease. Handwashing and access to clean running water are essential under the threat of COVID-19 just as they always have been, in order to prevent the spread of illnesses such as influenza which can have serious health implications.

"Many families coping with shutoffs were never able to afford market rates. After receiving one-time financial assistance from the WRAP programme during the threat of COVID-19, it is likely they will find themselves in debt and facing loss of water service yet again. This COVID-19 situation proves once and for all that water shutoffs are a public health emergency, and it is past time to enact a water affordability plan to end this crisis.”

Many organisations have fought the Detroit water shutoffs for years through litigation and advocacy. Most recently, the coalition of civil rights lawyers and organisations publicly called on Governor Whitmer to impose a moratorium on water shutoffs in Detroit.

The coalition of organisations and law firms includes, among others: the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU); Edwards & Jennings; Sugar Law Centre for Economic & Social Justice; Detroit Justice Centre; Jerome D. Goldberg; Marine Adams Law, P.C.; and the Great Lakes Environmental Law Centre.

* American Civil Liberties Union https://www.aclu.org/

[Ekk/6]

Although the views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Ekklesia, the article may reflect Ekklesia's values. If you use Ekklesia's news briefings please consider making a donation to sponsor Ekklesia's work here.