Detroit Cuts Off Running Water For Thousands of Residents

[The Intransigent Faction]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/07/06/detroit_becomes_a_pioneer_town_as_city_cuts_off_ru nning_water.html


DETROIT—It has been six weeks since the city turned off Nicole Hill’s water.
Dirty dishes are piled in the sink of her crowded kitchen, where the yellow-and-green linoleum floor is soiled and sticky. A small garbage can is filled with water from a neighbour, while a bigger one sits outside in the yard, where she hopes it will collect rain. She’s developed an intricate recycling system of washing the dishes, cleaning the floor and flushing the toilet with the same water.

“It’s frightening, because you think this is something that only happens somewhere like Africa,” said Hill, a single mother who is studying homeland security at a local college. “But now I know what they’re going through — when I get somewhere there’s a water faucet, I drink until my stomach hurts.”

Hill is one of thousands of residents in Detroit who have had their water and sewer services turned off as part of a crackdown on customers who are behind on their bills.

In April, the city set a target of cutting service to 3,000 customers a week who were more than $150 behind on their bills. In May, the water department sent out 46,000 warnings and cut off service to 4,531.

The city says that cutting off water is the only way to get people to pay their bills as Detroit tries to emerge from bankruptcy — the utility is currently owed $90 million from customers, and nearly half the city’s 300,000 or so accounts are past due.

But cutting off water to people already living in poverty came under criticism from the United Nations (http://www.wnd.com/2014/06/u-n-to-intervene-in-detroit-water-shutoffs/) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose experts said Detroit is violating international standards.

“When there is genuine inability to pay, human rights simply forbids disconnections,” said Catarina de Albuquerque, the office’s expert on the human right to water and sanitation, said in the communique.

“Are we the kind of people that resort to shutting water off when there are disabled people and seniors?” said Maureen Taylor, chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization. “We live near the Great Lakes, we have the greatest source of fresh water on Earth, and we still can’t get water here.”

The issue of utility affordability is acute in Detroit, with its high proportion of low-income residents and an infrastructure whose costs were once borne by a much larger population. (http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/08/22/the_dogs_were_having_a_pool_party_packs_of_strays_ roam_bankrupt_detroit.html) But municipal analysts say the problem is becoming more prevalent everywhere as extreme weather and its unusual range of high and low temperatures force utility bills ever upward.

Detroit’s water department implemented a program that allowed residents to start making payments on their bills even if they were thousands of dollars behind. But that program was cut during the city’s bankruptcy, said Lorray Brown, with the Michigan Poverty Law Program. The city, still in bankruptcy, (http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/12/03/detroit_bankruptcy_detroit_eligible_for_bankruptcy _protection_judge_rules.html) is probably not in a position to pay for a similar program now, she said.

A line of angry customers waited recently outside a customer service office for the water and sewer department. “Water is a life utility. You can do without lights and gas. But how are you going to do without water?” said Marcus McMiller, who was waiting in line with dozens of others.

McMiller said he thought he was current on his bill, but when he called the city, he was told that his house was listed as unoccupied. He was hoping to get his water service resumed by paying the $312 he was told he owed.

Nicole Hill was told she owed $5,754, which she finds impossible to believe. She moved into her apartment five years ago and right away the water bills seemed strange — $200 a month or more.

For the last two years, she has paid $2,800 to try to get caught up, but the utility wants her to pay $1,700 more before she can even get on a payment plan — an amount she doesn’t have.

Now her car has broken down, and she has to depend on friends for rides to get water. Her three children are staying with friends because she fears that child protection authorities will take them away if they find they are living in a home without running water.

Her son said he was worried about her because he had never seen her cry before — until lately. “I literally feel like I’m going back to Little House on the Prairie days,” Hill said.




"We live near the Great Lakes, we have the greatest source of fresh water on Earth, and we still can't get water here."

Yeah...
"#firstworldproblems".

[blake 3:17]

Thanks for talking about this. It's a terrible thing. From the Detroit Water Brigade http://detroitwaterbrigade.org/:


Together, we’re doing something about it

8 WAYS WE'RE MAKING AN IMPACT

Drinkable Water
Over the next 18 months we’re stockpiling water by the bottle and by the gallon at our Detroit office and empowering local non-profits to do the same, in order to combat dehydration.

Rain Water Collection
We’re stockpiling affordable rainwater collection systems in order to provide potable water, and water for sanitary use, in order to combat discomfort and the potential for disease.

Cold Weather Gear
With lack of running water comes a lack of circulating heat, so we’re loading up on cold weather gear to distribute to residents during the cold weather months.

Helpful Information
We’re writing and publishing documents on the best ways to insulate a home and body, how to bleed a water and heating system, and how to get assistance.

Advocacy & Awareness
We’re advocating for Detroit residents, and spreading the news about Detroit water crisis both on the ground in Detroit and online around the county.

Distribution Hubs
We’re creating a network of resource distribution hubs in Detroits 7 districts in by partnering with local non-profits and religious establishments.

Resource Delivery
We’re creating a network of local and visiting volunteers to deliver resources to the most vulnerable residents including the elderly and disabled.

Online DWB Network
The DetroitWaterBrigade.org is also a complete stand alone social network which simplifies volunteer networking and group planning.

[blake 3:17]

It is time for we the people to stand with Detroit. The work has already started. Detroit is rebuilding community from the grassroots up, and a few dedicated but under-staffed community organizations are working feverishly to grow a more sustainable, equitable and innovative Detroit than the one you hear about in the mainstream media. They’re working for the most part under-the-radar and on local scale, building housing and worker cooperatives, urban farms, alternative recycling programs, public-private partnerships, and a million other amazing ideas that could only take root in a city as ingenuous and resilient as Detroit. These are Detroit’s Davids against Wall Street’s Goliaths, and they need our solidarity now.



The situation



Today, 60% of Detroit children live in poverty and the infant mortality rate has surpassed Mexico’s. The city, under unelected emergency financial management from the state governor’s office, recently announced a plan to shut off up to 150,000 residential and commercial water accounts – almost 40% of the city – for non-payment. In some neighborhoods, more streetlights are broken or off than on, and there are more than 80,000 abandoned buildings citywide.



Meanwhile, Detroit’s municipal government and economy are still reeling from decades of disinvestment, deindustrialization, white flight, capital flight, and – yes – corruption that have sent former mayors to jail. Simultaneously, City Hall is being crushed under the weight of an imposing and nationally-coordinated media and financial occupation by corporate America. Michigan’s Tea Party state governor, Rick Snyder, took control of Detroit and 6 other majority-black cities last year under a controversial “emergency manager” law. Shortly after Snyder appointed Kevin Orr to run the city, Orr hired his own former corporate bankruptcy law firm to initiate bankruptcy proceedings while also paving the way for land sell-offs to preferred companies and developers as well as privatization of public utilities and services like ambulances and the water department.

...

For the rest of us, though, it’s time to help Detroit. If you care about second chances, about life after poverty and unemployment, you are needed in Detroit to build the better world we talked about in 1,000 parks across this country in the fall of 2011.



You ready to start bailing out Detroit the right way? It starts with water, the basic element of life. Join the Detroit Water Brigade and help us start getting water and vital information to Detroiters in need. If we can, we’ll raise the money to buy off the $150 debts of Detroit families to keep the city from shutting off their water – Strike Debt style. If we raise enough money, maybe we can even buy this debt in bulk and bring hope and second chances to some of America’s most-neglected citizens. Once we get going, who knows where we’ll stop? Rebuild the water and energy systems with renewable technologies and designate them a public commons for all. End all evictions. Turn abandoned lots into urban farms. Rebuild schools. End payday lending and expand crowd funding of local small and cooperative businesses. The sky is the limit.



The bailout isn’t coming from above, people. Let’s do this ourselves.

http://www.justinwedes.com/2014/06/29/why-we-the-people-must-stand-with-detroit/

[M-L-C-F]

Yeah, it's bullshit that they're shutting people's water off. I blame the rich white suburbs though. Because they should be charged more for water, than the people in the city or the working class suburbs. Because both it's outside the city, and that they've got higher incomes and can afford it. As it would offset the costs, and make everything easier.

But that's the city's restructuring for you. They're going after whoever they can now. This sorta thing would only get worse if the suburbs ever took control of the water from the city, like they wanna do. Something that I hope never actually happens. As the racists in the suburbs just wanna take and take more from the city of Detroit.

I've had my water shut off before. It fucking sucks, same with other utilities as well. I feel for these people, as I've been there before. Just another problem on the list, for Detroiters and working class people in our area. As if the crime and lack of services weren't enough. People now gotta deal with this shit too.

[Popular Front of Judea]

I salute the work the Water Brigade is doing. I do hope there is also anonymous people at work with crescent wrenches, wire cutters -- and these:

http://www.reedmfgco.com/en/products/water-services-tools-and-machines/valve-and-curb-keys/

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

Now that's a pretty shitty thing to do to people.

I honestly believe that the workers of Detroit are very much within their rights to take up arms and seize the Detroit Water & Sewage Department HQ. Get the water turned back on...take hostages if they have to. Just as long as the people who need that water get it.

[The Intransigent Faction]

http://www.justinwedes.com/2014/06/29/why-we-the-people-must-stand-with-detroit/

"Public-private partnerships, and a million other amazing ideas"?

...No. Just....no. Not to nitpick, but for obvious reasons, it's not something workers should be demanding. As for the Detroit Water Brigade, that's terrific. I wish them well and hopefully their actions can serve as a model elsewhere.

[erupt]

Who made this decision? Is there anyway to find out who the bourgie fucks are that decided this will solve Detroit's debt issues?

I say act immediately. We can only take so much before people turn into animals. When humans are in survival mode looking for water, they will do things they never thought they were capable of. Water is essential. What will these mother fuckers do if someone dies from dehydration?

The real question is what will we do if this shit continues?

[Loony Le Fist]

What is fascinating is that a scan of the Google News aggregator seems to show absolutely no mention of this in their top stories. This is an outrage. It seems like this would show up somewhere, and yet it's nowhere near a top story. Despite not being mentioned anywhere on headlines (maybe I'm missing it), here it is in several news outlets.

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2023988561_detroitwaterxml.html
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-detroit-water-20140629-story.html#page=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/us/detroit-threatens-to-cut-water-service-to-delinquent-customers.html

So this was covered and then just sort of tucked away out of view. Just as Chomsky would predict. The conversation would be better shifted towards the promise of nanotechnology in deserts. :D

[Loony Le Fist]

Just to add, those articles I linked to truly have a neoliberal stench. The ST one brings up the $90 million owed to the city in utilities and juxtaposes it with the 4,531 customers having their water turned off. Now ask yourself--what percent of that $90 million is owed by those 4,531 customers? Surely they don't expect us to believe that those people owe close to $20,000 (more than 10 years worth in free water) in past due bills each. They would have already had their water shut off a long time ago. How much of that includes fines imposed by the city?

We will never see the tough questions asked by the mainstream press.

[M-L-C-F]

I'm all about taking direct action on this sorta thing (people taking control of the water company). However, the rich white racists in the suburbs, that asshole Governor Snyder in Lansing, and the federal government, are all waiting for any excuse to crackdown on any discontent in Detroit. They did it in the '60s during the race riots, and they'll do it again now, if shit got hot. It sucks, but that's the situation right now with the city of Detroit. The lyrics in the Tupac song "To Live & Die in L.A.": "We'll burn this ***** down, get us pissed." are extremely relevant to Detroit though.

Also, as much as the city government in Detroit, and the water company it owns, are at fault in this. The blame lies on the emergency managers, the bankruptcy, and the state and federal governments too. Obama has said he won't bail out Detroit (thanks Obama). So instead of helping a city in need. They're just gonna let it be divided up and sold, or decay until there's nothing left.

[Loony Le Fist]

I'm all about taking direct action on this sorta thing (people taking control of the water company). However, the rich white racists in the suburbs, that asshole Governor Snyder in Lansing, and the federal government, are all waiting for any excuse to crackdown on any discontent in Detroit. They did it in the '60s during the race riots, and they'll do it again now, if shit got hot. It sucks, but that's the situation right now with the city of Detroit. The lyrics in the Tupac song "To Live & Die in L.A.": "We'll burn this ***** down, get us pissed." are extremely relevant to Detroit though.


Occupation is definitely it. Plus, if they shut the water off, there has to be a way to turn it back on again. My guess is that there might be a police presence out there, and they might be sending out units. I'm pretty sure they have flow meters in place to check against the water they sold to find the shrink. I say start opening fire hydrants and fill tanks so its harder to prove where the water came from, than simply looking at meters. It certainly would get tough in winter if this continues.



Also, as much as the city government in Detroit, and the water company it owns, are at fault in this. The blame lies on the emergency managers, the bankruptcy, and the state and federal governments too. Obama has said he won't bail out Detroit (thanks Obama). So instead of helping a city in need. They're just gonna let it be divided up and sold, or decay until there's nothing left.

Well, we know help isn't coming from government. Katrina proved this is the case. The only time help comes from the feds is when there is some collusion going on. Compare the response to flooding in New Orleans to the responses to the many hurricanes that passed through Florida. Whole different ball game.

I agree that Detroit might be the front line of the class war--as has been pointed out by several people.

[Ele'ill]

I have thought about moving to detroit and buying something because it has things that I can afford

[TheSocialistMetalhead]

Sadly, this stuff happens all the time in tons of so-called civilized countries.

At any rate, this is disgusting. Water is a human right. Cutting off a family's water supply should be illegal.

Long live the water brigade!

[Loony Le Fist]

Ok, just watched a special on the subject. Apparently those customers owe an average of $561 each. Unless you want to believe the presenter was talking about the average of all Detroit, which would total $392 million and would be extremely strange considering the city can't be in debt more in water, than in total ($90 million). So I'm concluding he meant out of those that are having their water shut off. If this is the case, why are those that owe 2.8% (roughly $2 million) of the debt being asked to subsidize with their health, safety and lives?

[Ele'ill]

"because the law says that's the way it is"

[Loony Le Fist]

"because the law says that's the way it is"

Ha. How true. How many unjust things have been done in the name of the law.

[Listen to me...]

Yes a step closer to violent revolution...let them take down all welfare states then we the socialists can arise like lenin and eliminate the scurge

[Revolver]

Has anyone posted the link to the Water Brigade? http://detroitwaterbrigade.org/mission-statement/

If you are in Detroit there are a few different ways to help. The Michigan Welfare Rights organization has some experience organizing on this issue, because the same thing happened before (and is happening yet again) in Highland Park.

Missing from all of this is the discussion over the Emergency manager regime and the hostile takeover of Detroit by the financiers and their henchmen. Very frustrating events have been unfolding in Michigan for a while now.

[The Intransigent Faction]

Ha. How true. How many unjust things have been done in the name of the law.

Speaking of which...

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/10/detroit-water-protests.html


At least nine of the activists were arrested by Detroit police and charged with disorderly conduct when they temporarily blocked trucks from leaving the company’s parking lot. They were released on bail hours later.

More on the plus side, however,


Earlier this week, a group from Windsor, Ontario, crossed the border to deliver 1,000 liters of water in a display of support for Detroit residents. And protests have been held outside DWSD’s offices every Friday since the shutoffs began.

Despite the media trend noted by loonyleftist, it certainly seems to be getting international attention.

[M-L-C-F]

Occupation is definitely it. Plus, if they shut the water off, there has to be a way to turn it back on again. My guess is that there might be a police presence out there, and they might be sending out units. I'm pretty sure they have flow meters in place to check against the water they sold to find the shrink. I say start opening fire hydrants and fill tanks so its harder to prove where the water came from, than simply looking at meters. It certainly would get tough in winter if this continues.

Well, we know help isn't coming from government. Katrina proved this is the case. The only time help comes from the feds is when there is some collusion going on. Compare the response to flooding in New Orleans to the responses to the many hurricanes that passed through Florida. Whole different ball game.

I agree that Detroit might be the front line of the class war--as has been pointed out by several people.

Well, I was more meaning that the response to taking hostages would be swift. Less saying that occupation in itself would be dealt with that way. As occupation doesn't mean taking hostages. You let them go, otherwise you can lose popular support. Unless it's the right thing for the situation, where you've gotta take them. I'd also hate wasting the water, when so many people need it still.

Detroit is one of the leading candidates for the front line of class war. The Black Panthers knew this, and it's still obvious to this day.


I have thought about moving to detroit and buying something because it has things that I can afford

I wanna move to the actual city myself. The only thing keeping me from doing so, is the lack of services. I'm not scared of Detroit, I love it there, and I love our city. However, my co-workers at my last job that used to live in the city, warned me about moving down there. Because of the lack of services, even in the safer and better parts of Detroit. Plus the whole food desert problem that exists there too. I'd still like to move down there though. I'd wanna live in Mexicantown, but there are a couple of other areas that I like as well.

That being said, I wanna buy some vacant land down there. If I can afford to do so soon. I'll make a community garden, and get to know the people that live in the area. It's cheap in the city of Detroit, but it's cheap for a reason. The funny thing is though, that I feel safer in Detroit, than I do when I'm visiting my Dad out in the boonies. Because I'd rather deal with the more predictable problems in the hood, than all the stupid rednecks. If I have to deal with the gunshots, I'd like to at least be able to have the benefits of the city.


Ok, just watched a special on the subject. Apparently those customers owe an average of $561 each. Unless you want to believe the presenter was talking about the average of all Detroit, which would total $392 million and would be extremely strange considering the city can't be in debt more in water, than in total ($90 million). So I'm concluding he meant out of those that are having their water shut off. If this is the case, why are those that owe 2.8% (roughly $2 million) of the debt being asked to subsidize with their health, safety and lives?


"because the law says that's the way it is"


Ha. How true. How many unjust things have been done in the name of the law.

Not just the law, but because FREEDOM! That's why! ;)


Has anyone posted the link to the Water Brigade? http://detroitwaterbrigade.org/mission-statement/

If you are in Detroit there are a few different ways to help. The Michigan Welfare Rights organization has some experience organizing on this issue, because the same thing happened before (and is happening yet again) in Highland Park.

Missing from all of this is the discussion over the Emergency manager regime and the hostile takeover of Detroit by the financiers and their henchmen. Very frustrating events have been unfolding in Michigan for a while now.

Highland Park and Hamtramck are just as fucked as Detroit, they're city limits are surrounded by the city of Detroit. Pontiac and Flint are also fucked. They're all poorer working class, and mostly black areas (with Latinos mixed in). It's also not so hot for the other working class suburbs either.


Speaking of which...

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/10/detroit-water-protests.html

More on the plus side, however,

Despite the media trend noted by loonyleftist, it certainly seems to be getting international attention.

That's because workers in Windsor care about Detroit. Detroit is connected to Windsor in many different ways.

[The Intransigent Faction]

That's because workers in Windsor care about Detroit. Detroit is connected to Windsor in many different ways.

Yeah, I know. I'm not that far away! It's going to be a very important connection and source of support as more people continue to lose access to clean drinking water.

[ckaihatsu]

Missing from all of this is the discussion over the Emergency manager regime and the hostile takeover of Detroit by the financiers and their henchmen. Very frustrating events have been unfolding in Michigan for a while now.


The Bankruptcy of Detroit

http://www.wsws.org/en/topics/newsCategory/detr/

[Hagalaz]

Now that's a pretty shitty thing to do to people.

I honestly believe that the workers of Detroit are very much within their rights to take up arms and seize the Detroit Water & Sewage Department HQ. Get the water turned back on...take hostages if they have to. Just as long as the people who need that water get it.

Interesting idea. We certainly know that there are enough guns in Detroit to arm the citizenry. But take hostages? Who?

[Supposed Mocha]

Well I guess if you're all committed to arming the citizenry there's always those crates of Mosin Nagants, which would certainly be funny with their Russian origins. :lol:

But I feel something along the lines of what was done in Ukraine is better, hostages make things look really really messy and like the revolutionaries are the bad guys. I personally wouldn't mind occupying the water works or another place with a rifle in hand and a few others or to really mess with capitalist media, no weapons at all.

Violent insurrection (Especially Left tendency) would look really bad, not even the Rightists can get away with that sort of thing.

Funny enough I was just debating buying some property in Detroit and making it a block wide Pan Leftist commune, didn't know if anybody outside my local group would like to help though.

[Supposed Mocha]

I was thinking of doing the same thing, a lot of communal living of course.

Working on saving up right now actually.

[Revolver]

There is no room for armed insurrection. That being said, there are protests and of course openings for civil disobedience. The ruling class has prepared for armed resistance, do not give in to them.

[Supposed Mocha]

There is no room for armed insurrection. That being said, there are protests and of course openings for civil disobedience. The ruling class has prepared for armed resistance, do not give in to them.

Till they'd shoot at us, I don't see it fit that we shoot back.
Martyrdom unfortunately is a powerful tool.

[Revolver]

FYI, there will be a protest outside Cobo Center on Friday at 12:30, for those in Detroit. The event will coincide with the Democratic Party/organized labor event "Netroots Nation," which will probably increase turnout over and above ordinary numbers. Here is the announcement from Moratorium Now!, one of the local groups that hosts regular "Freedom Fridays" downtown to protest austerity:



Stop the Water Shutoffs! Restore Water Service!
Hands off the Pensions!
Make the Banks Pay!...

“It’s not one thing, it’s EVERYTHING!” – Rev. Pinkney

12:30PM - Assemble outside COBO Hall on the southwest corner of Washington Blvd & W. Congress

1:00PM - March Begins

1:45PM - Rally at Hart Plaza

We call on activists everywhere to come to Detroit on Friday, July 18 for a rally and march to fight the dictatorship of Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, appointed by millionaire Republican Governor Rick Synder, and backed by Wall Street bankers and the 1%.

Under a state-imposed bankruptcy, the City of Detroit workers face severe cuts to their pensions and several hundred thousand people face water shutoffs.

The banks who have destroyed Detroit’s neighborhoods through racist predatory subprime mortgages and saddled the City of Detroit with fraudulent subprime financing, continue to loot the people of Detroit.

Detroiters have lost their democratic rights – “elected” officials serve at the pleasure of the unelected Emergency Manager, and may be fired at any time.

From the loss of the auto plant jobs, loss of people from home foreclosures, attack on pensions, high insurance, replacing public schools with charter schools/Education Achievement Authority (EAA), water shut-offs, to privatization and the state helping corporations take over city assets and services such as Belle Isle, the largest urban park in the U.S., garbage department, workforce development, human services, health dept., Detroit Institute of Arts, with selling the water dept. on the horizon! Banks, billionaires and corporations made this bankruptcy up to rob the people of Detroit blind and kill democracy.

To Detroiters, we say, ”It’s time to take a stand, stand up and fight for yourselves, your children, your grandchildren, your city!”

To people everywhere, we say, “Stand with the people of Detroit. Your city, your services, and your pensions will be targetted next”

Let’s come together to stop the takeover of Detroit, we are not going to take this anymore! United we can stop the takeover of our Detroit!

[Revolver]

Over 1,000 people showed up to the protest, partly as a result of union support and the tie-in with the Democratic Party-affiliated "Netroots Nation" event at Cobo Hall. There's local coverage (http://www.wxyz.com/homepage-showcase/over-1000-protestors-gather-outside-cobo-center-over-detroit-water-shutoffs) as well as coverage at the national level, including the Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/articles/detroits-water-cutoffs-spark-protests-1405714429), Slate (http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/07/18/water_shut_offs_are_hate_crimes.html), and others. The negative attention has forced the bankruptcy court to hold public hearings on the shut offs.