Detroit groups reach out to UN as water customers are tapped out

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**Jihadin**

A coalition of activist groups took the rare step Monday and appealed to the United Nations over reports that cash-strapped residents in Detroit are being left without access to water.

The appeal to the U.N.’s special rapporteur comes after reports that nearly half of the Detroit Water and Sewerage customers are delinquent on their bills and owe the department about $118 million. The department has reportedly started shutting off water to these delinquent customers.

Beside the amount due, the city council last week approved higher rates for customers by more than $5 per month, The Detroit Free Press reported. Those additional funds would help repair the antiquated system, the department said.

"I don't feel that residents should have to bear the burden of an increase right now,” Mary Sheffield, a councilwoman, told the paper.

Maude Barlow, who put together the U.N. appeal, said if the U.S. does not respond to a U.N. intervention, it could impact its U.N. Universal Periodic Review. The review keeps records of all U.N. member states and their human rights obligations.

The Hamilton Spectator summed up the news: "Desperate calls for help from the United Nations aren’t just for war-torn and developing nations anymore."

The water department announced in March it would go forward with shutting off water service to more than 150,000 delinquent users, or half its customers, The Detroit Free Press reported.

The department wants the customers to make good on $118 million in outstanding bills, the report said.

"We do have programs that do help those that are just totally in need; can’t afford it," Curtrise Garner, a water department spokeswoman, told CBS Detroit. But, according to Garner, there are also people who can afford to pay the bill and who opt not to. "We know this because, once we shut water off, the next day they are in paying the bill in full. So we do know that that has become a habit as well," she said.

Kevyn Orr, the city's emergency manager, told The Detroit Free Press that he is exploring the privatization of the department

Closest I came to this was in the military when soldiers were refusing to wear UN Berets and/or falling under command of a UN mission mid 90's

**Desubot**

"We do have programs that do help those that are just totally in need; can’t afford it," Curtrise Garner, a water department spokeswoman, told CBS Detroit. But, according to Garner, there are also people who can afford to pay the bill and who opt not to. "We know this because, once we shut water off, the next day they are in paying the bill in full. So we do know that that has become a habit as well," she said."

Is there really a problem then?

EDIT: Thats true i guess. Ether way glad i dont live in detroit.

**AlexHolker**

Desubot wrote:
"We do have programs that do help those that are just totally in need; can’t afford it," Curtrise Garner, a water department spokeswoman, told CBS Detroit. But, according to Garner, there are also people who can afford to pay the bill and who opt not to. "We know this because, once we shut water off, the next day they are in paying the bill in full. So we do know that that has become a habit as well," she said."

Is there really a problem then?

That depends. If, in a pinch, you are spending your grocery money on water because thirst will kill you first, that doesn't mean you can afford it.

**Daemonhammer**

Its the republicans and their ongoing agenda to opress the common people and make the rich even richer.

In all seriousness, its a bit of a dick move, increasing the price for something so essential and then cutting off the people who cant pay.

**Desubot**

Where did republicans come from all this?

Though at the same time if they are having trouble eating that they cant pay water bills shouldn't they be in those programs that was mentioned?

**Aerethan**

I get that people in Detroit are broke, but a $5/mo increase is hardly a game breaking amount.

And like the rep said, most people pay in full once gak hits the fan and they get shut off.

Now yes, I'm sure there are plenty of legitimate cases where people can't afford it, and sure those people need help. But the water bill is pretty much #2 on the bills priority list right after rent/mortgage.

Turn off your internet, sell your Xbox, whatever it takes.

How is Detroit even still a city at this point? Seems like it would be cheaper to just shut it down and move everyone out. Flint sounds like a lovely place.

**Jihadin**

Thought Detroit was a Democrat run?

**Daemonhammer**

Desubot wrote:
Where did republicans come from all this?

Though at the same time if they are having trouble eating that they cant pay water bills shouldn't they be in those programs that was mentioned?

The republican thing was a joke, im suprised I have to explain that.

And if there is over 100 million in debt there is obviously a problem that has not been solved.

**Desubot**

Sorry Hard to tell jokes or sarcasm through the web

**Mr. Burning**

Detroit huh? Original Robocop is looking like a documentary more and more.

Half their customers are delinquent on their water bills? seems theres something much more serious than than being able to pay but just not doing it,

**daedalus**

Daemonhammer wrote:
Desubot wrote:
Where did republicans come from all this?

Though at the same time if they are having trouble eating that they cant pay water bills shouldn't they be in those programs that was mentioned?

The republican thing was a joke, im suprised I have to explain that.

And if there is over 100 million in debt there is obviously a problem that has not been solved.

This is Dakka. It's literally impossible to tell if someone is joking or actually flying rodent gak insane short of some sort of cues like smiley faces or something.

**SlaveToDorkness**

Daemonhammer wrote:

And if there is over 100 million in debt there is obviously a problem that has not been solved.

The problem is they didn't turn off the water meters when people first started not paying. now they've let it go way too long. Yep, that's Detroit. Let the molehill go until it's a mountain.

**Aerethan**

SlaveToDorkness wrote:
Daemonhammer wrote:

And if there is over 100 million in debt there is obviously a problem that has not been solved.

The problem is they didn't turn off the water meters when people first started not paying. now they've let it go way too long. Yep, that's Detroit. Let the molehill go until it's a mountain.

This could very well be the issue. Most power and telecoms companies shut off services after 2 months have lapsed, and 2 months of water bills isn't gonna be a lot of money unless you are watering your 1 acre backyard jungle landscape twice a day.

**Polonius**

Jihadin wrote:
Thought Detroit was a Democrat run?

On paper, sure. Detroit's city politics are basically third world, with the primary ideological difference between politicians that want to blame the suburbs for most of the cities problems, and those that want to blame the suburbs for all of the cities problems.

Detroit is one area where the stereotypes about inner city politicians dividing their time between corruption and railing against white people is actually true.

**Manchu**

Jihadin wrote:
Thought Detroit was a Democrat run?

Forgetful, tsk tsk. Democracy has been suspended in Detroit. It is run by an emergency manager appointed by a Republican.

**dereksatkinson**

This is actually a very bad thing for US sovereignty. The last thing Detroit needs to "fix" this problem is aid from the UN

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Manchu wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Thought Detroit was a Democrat run?
Forgetful, tsk tsk. Democracy has been suspended in Detroit. It is run by an emergency manager appointed by a Republican.

Appointed by the governor IIRC..

Also.. the USA has never been a democracy so I'm not sure why that word is being used. It was founded as a republic which means it has representative democracy.. It's not 2 wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner..

**MrDwhitey**

dereksatkinson wrote:

Also.. the USA has never been a democracy

Paging d-usa...

Representative democracy (also indirect democracy) is a variety of democracy

**Polonius**

Manchu wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Thought Detroit was a Democrat run?
Forgetful, tsk tsk. Democracy has been suspended in Detroit. It is run by an emergency manager appointed by a Republican.

to be churlish, technically home rule has been suspended in Detroit. Local authority flows from the State.

But yeah, the EM doesn't seem to really have a clue what to do. Either way, it's not really a partisan issue, but as a professor of mine once said, "people get the leaders they deserve."

**dereksatkinson**

MrDwhitey wrote:
dereksatkinson wrote:

Also.. the USA has never been a democracy

Paging d-usa...

Representative democracy (also indirect democracy) is a variety of democracy

Fascism and communism are both forms of representative democracy too but that doesn't mean they have any sort of input in either system.

**whembly**

MrDwhitey wrote:
dereksatkinson wrote:

Also.. the USA has never been a democracy

Paging d-usa...

Representative democracy (also indirect democracy) is a variety of democracy

Semantic wars... begin!

**MrDwhitey**

It's not my fault you were wrong.

**dereksatkinson**

MrDwhitey wrote:
It's not my fault you were wrong.

I used the words "representative democracy" to distinguish between the two.

**Polonius**

Hey guys, clear out of the way. There's a dude with an agenda and the time to make a stink about it.

Much like the guy quoting Bible verses mixed with Sir Mix a lot songs on the subway, don't pay attention.

**MrDwhitey**

Damn, now I wonder which one of us you mean.

I mean, I do have an agenda, and plenty of time!

**Kilkrazy**

I had to pay an almost £700 water bill recently because for some reason Thames Water forgot to invoice me in 2013 and never chased so at the start of 2014 they sent two years' worth of bills at once.

**Nevelon**

Which dystopian post apocalypse future does Detroit want? Classically it’s Robocop, but isn’t Water and Power a Tank Girl thing?

**Kilkrazy**

Another big problem is that water is a vital resource for the manufacture of Soylent Green.

**Jihadin**

Polonius wrote:
Manchu wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Thought Detroit was a Democrat run?
Forgetful, tsk tsk. Democracy has been suspended in Detroit. It is run by an emergency manager appointed by a Republican.

to be churlish, technically home rule has been suspended in Detroit. Local authority flows from the State.

But yeah, the EM doesn't seem to really have a clue what to do. Either way, it's not really a partisan issue, but as a professor of mine once said, "people get the leaders they deserve."

One major brain fart of a question I should have clarified more on

**Dreadclaw69**

Kilkrazy wrote:
Another big problem is that water is a vital resource for the manufacture of Soylent Green.

We'll just make a dehydrated version of it

**SilverMK2**

I seem to remember talk here in the UK about barring utilities such as water from cutting off supply in cases of non-payment because of human rights to water or something.

While on one level I support non-payment resulting in service cutoff, I can see the point that in some cases non-payment is not a dodge and people really can't afford it and should not be cut off from something as necessary as water.