DETROIT, MI – Initial reports seemed optimistic, but according to a report from The Detroit Free Press, the water shutoffs in Detroit could incite residents all the same this summer.
The Free Press reports that the city has over 73,000 active residential accounts that owe $47 million in total unpaid bills. Last year, there were over 79,000 “delinquent accounts” that owed $42 million total.
These numbers bring into question the payment plans and methods through which the City of Detroit is trying to mitigate the unpaid bills. All last summer the city came under fire from civil rights groups and residents alike for turning off water to delinquent accounts.
The Free Press reports that $6 million has been raised to help low-income households pay their bills. A new payment plan is coming for this summer, according to city officials. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has been adamant that free water cannot be an option. It must be paid for.