Detroit Action Demands Water Accessibility Across the City

The current proposal from the city does not encompass all our beliefs regarding water affordability, and our stance is clear: access to water is non-negotiable. If the city wants the stamp of approval from grassroots organizations, it must prioritize community voices while creating a solution to our water crisis that will help everyone in Detroit. Furthermore, we would appreciate the city and Director Gary Brown consulting us and our membership before using our organization’s name to suggest that we are on the same page as them when it comes to water accessibility.

The people of Detroit are calling on the city to recognize the dignified act of providing access to clean, safe, and affordable water and nullify past debts to end the restriction of access to water based on income. The city must recognize that water is not a commodity, but an essential right and utility. For Detroit to truly address the water crisis, financial assistance is not enough. The city must ensure full water affordability for all residents. Water should not be priced as a luxury when it is fundamental for human life. Currently, our most vulnerable community members are spending up to 25% of their monthly income on access to sewage and water. This is a public health crisis that Detroit must rectify.

P.S. We stand with our comrades at @WeThePeopleDet and leaders like Monica Lewis Patrick in the fight for fair, accessible and affordable water in Detroit. Our work is in solidarity with theirs and with Detroiters fighting for racial, economic and social justice.