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  We  the  People  of  Detroit   *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.  It’s  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.    • Detroit’s  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  Detroit’s  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.