Fighting to Stay Afloat

By Frances Lambrick

Detroit residents are fighting to keep the water in their taps. The campaign has been gaining momentum over a decade, and is now seeking 30,000 signatures to transform Detroit’s water policy.

In August 2008, about 500 homes had their water shut off for failure to pay. Nonetheless, privatization of the city’s water is being pushed ahead, with Coke angling for the contract. Additionally a huge private contract has required residents to install wireless water meters at their own cost. When one individual was unable or unwilling to cooperate with the installation, whole blocks of homes had their water shut off.

In April 2006 the Detroit City Council approved a Water Affordability Plan. Ironically however, the plan perpetuates the unaffordable privatization scheme by creating an inadequate program. So now the residents of Detroit continue fighting to have their original Water Affordability Plan implemented. To take on the City the group is seeking 30,000 resident signatures. They will have just 90 days to collect them once the campaign starts.

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