Aid Comes to Detroit Residents Facing Lack of Water
From a city that brags some of the worst financial woes in the country comes yet another bout of sad news.
About 30,000 low-income Detroit residents were faced with a shut off of their water services, because the city said there was about $89 million in unpaid water bills, according to The Guardian.
But a group of residents sued the city in U.S. Bankruptcy Court stating that the city was not threatening the same for commercial customers, according to The Detroit News.
Citing the City Charter which says residents can expect the government to provide safe drinking water, the lawyers said in a filing, which also asked for an injunction to keep the water services on, and asks for a "water affordability plan with income-based payments."
The judge presiding over the case told the city on July 15 it could do more to help residents, according to The Michigan Citizen.
The average water bill for residents is about $50 per month, but delinquent bills averaged $540.
On Monday, the city's Water and Sewerage Department said it will delay the shut offs for 15 days.
But since the news broke many have come to the aid of the residents - even across the border.
Canadians plan to bring 1,000 liters of water on Thursday for the residents, according to CTV News.
The Windsor chapter of the Council of Canadians said it will carry the water to residents and stage a rally outside Detroit City Hall.
The Council national chair, Maude Barlow, told CTV News that she will ask President Barack Obama to declare a state of emergency for the city.
Additional aid is being sought for those residents, with the help of social media and technology.
Two developers, Tiffani Ashley Bell and Kristy Tillman, launched a project to match donors to help pay the residents' bills, according to Al Jazeera.
On Tuesday, Tillman tweeted that the campaign was successful in matching 17 residents with 70 donors.
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