Detroit Ready To Begin New Round Of Massive Water Shut-offs
Detroit officials are notifying thousands of water customers behind on payments that their service will be shut off.
In Detroit today, officials are notifying thousands of water customers behind on payments that their service will be shut off.
It’s a replay of a situation that has drawn widespread criticism from many quarters, including the United Nations.
Detroit was blistered by critics last year for turning off water to those who claimed they were too poor to pay. The U.N. called it a human rights violation.
But now as many as 25,000 are again at least two months behind on their water bills and facing shut-offs.
Some customers had made payment arrangements. But officials estimate about a third of them have defaulted on the agreements.
A new regional authority is supposed to help pay past-due water bills.
Yet Detroit exited bankruptcy with only a razor-thin financial cushion and is going after every possible dollar owed to it.
