The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department (DWSD) has begun posting shut-off notices for Detroit residents who may have their water service disconnected because of past-due bills.
An estimated 25,000 residential accounts who are at least 60 days past-due or have more than $150 in overdue payments could expect to see a warning posted on their door handle. They’ll have 10 days to pay the bill or sign up for a payment plan, per DWSD policy. Mayor Mike Duggan’s administration has said it will roll out a new payment plan this summer after it was revealed nearly all customers on payment plans defaulted again — prompting activists to call for the city to consider a payment plan based on income.
Such a payment plan would take into consideration a customer’s ability to pay, and would charge low-income residents less for water. A Detroit City Council subcommittee recently moved to establish a work group to consider how the city may craft a water affordability program.
Perhaps surprisingly, Duggan’s chief operating officer, Gary Brown, signaled for the first time the mayor’s administration may be open to the possibility of the idea.
This article appears in May 6-12, 2015.
