Detroit Residents Fight Back Over Water Shutoff: 'It's A Life-or-Death Situation' [Just Like Food!]

Guardian (UK)R ^ | July 21, 2014

[Steelfish]

Detroit Residents Fight Back Over Water Shutoff: 'It's A Life-or-Death Situation'

The beleaguered city says a water shutoff is essential to recoup $89m in overdue bills. But the decision outraged thousands of Detroiters – who have taken matters into their own hands

Of 178 homes whose water was shut off last week, 79 had restarted their supplies, triggering $21,750 in fines on top of what the residents already owed.

When the coast is clear, and the trucks from the contractor shutting off water for the city of Detroit have rolled away, the men with water keys come.

They offer residents whose supply has just been shut off a tempting deal. For $20, they will use their tools to turn the water main back on immediately, and illegally, sparing the household the agonising days spent without showering, cooking or flushing that have already been endured by at least 16,000 of their neighbours so far this year.

It is only the most desperate action being taken in response to the beleaguered city's aggressive campaign to recoup $89m in overdue water bills by abruptly cutting the supplies of people behind on their payments. Amid growing anger, Detroit officials agreed in court on Monday to a two-week pause, to allow poor customers to come forward and show that they genuinely cannot afford to pay. But then the shutoffs will resume.

“You're going to do what you have to do to get water back on in your home,” said Valerie Blakely, a community organiser and mother of five whose overdue bill stands at more than $1,000. “As far as I'm concerned, what the city is doing is the illegal activity. You're not going to come and put us in a life-or-death situation and not have us act like we are fighting for our own survival.”

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I was the operator of a public water supply company in Ohio for 30 years. If you outstanding bill was $99.99 you kept your water. If you were behind one penny more, at $100, your water was shut off. $100!

[kearnyirish2]

“These people are like a cancer. Always taking taking taking and taking. Never contributing. Just taking. Everything is a “right” to them. Animals.”

Liberals are curing the cancer with abortion, contraception, and open borders to further marginalize blacks into oblivion.

[GeronL]

I find it amazing that the left and the MSM just all of a sudden made “free municipal water” their new thing. Just one more distraction from real scandals.

[WVKayaker]

I find it amazing that the left and the MSM just all of a sudden made “free municipal water” their new thing.

I now live in Davao City, a city of 2+ million people, with one of the best water systems in this country, and maybe the world. I pay $10-12 a month for safe, treated water from the mountains. I drink it. I have had NO problems or systemic reactions. It does have that telltale taste of "city water".

For those who cannot pay for that source, there are lots of rain gutters feeding plastic drums. They scoop the water, and use it for flushing toilets and bathing. They also use it for cooking. Most will buy bottled "spring" or "purified" water for drinking, but also many just use the local San Miguel beer for their drink of choice (although coconut wine or "tuba" is also relatively cheap and gives them a great buzz!).

It makes me wonder how the people of Detroit will fare when the food stamps run out (not really! I already know the results!!!).

[lastchance]

Walk yo lazy bum to the store and use your EBT to get bottled water. Save your change and use the laundry mat. For crissakes quit your bellyaching.

[GeronL]

They might riot and damage their own neighborhoods, although it might be hard to tell

[sheana]

Our water bill in Bakersfield runs $60 per month. And I thought we had some of the highest utility bills in the nation.

[kearnyirish2]

“This woman is saying that the city is at fault for cutting off water. She is NOT at fault for not paying her water bill, whatever her reasons are. That’s liberal logic.”

Union generals foresaw this as they marched through the South; they asked Lincoln what he intended to do with these growing hordes of freed blacks that were following their armies. They couldn’t provide for them while fighting the war...

[upchuck]

From the article:

The crowds were addressed by the actor Mark Ruffalo, who campaigns against hydrofracking and for safe water. “These shut-offs are an absolute humiliation to the American sensibility of decency,” he told the Guardian.

“Listen, man,” he added, leaning in and growing visibly angry. “These people are Americans. We will not blink an eye to send trillions of dollars overseas to wage warfare in an illegal war. But we can't come up with the money that it takes to keep a community in water, when it's in the throes of an economic catastrophe that was caused by Wall Street?”

Mr. Ruffalo blames Wall Street for this? Sorry Mark, this was caused by 50 years of liberal Democrats trying to prove that Detroit could always live on Other People's Money (OPM). Now that well has run dry and those left are paying the price. As they should.

[Tzimisce]

You’re white right?

Well there you go.

The rules are only for white people.

Anything else would be “racist”. :)

[eyedigress]

Hose em’ down. More water than ever.....

[dfwgator]

Water...water....everywhere.......

[kcvl]

https://mobile.twitter.com/HappyParent

Valerie Blakely
@happyparent

I am the mother of five! I am blessed to help families learn EFT!

Destroit, MI

universalparent.com

[GeronL]

They could try a rain dance on the bank of Lake Michigan

“We want water! We want water!”

[kcvl]

BE THE CHANGE
Backbone Campaign
May 7
Get registered! If you plan on going to action camp in kzoo next week, get registered now! Food is being purchased and we need a head count!! If you can not go but want to support these efforts please donate. Everyone that shows up and wants to learn gets to stay. No one will be turned away. This pay what ya can If ya can camp is really going down because ppl are supporting with their time and money!!!

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=784677674878387&id=110726715606823

[kcvl]

BE THE CHANGE
April 23
Its spring and we have so much to talk about... Invite your family and community.

Our own Darryl (Waistline) Mitchell will be back from California to discuss his Marxist Glossary. He will have copies available for purchase.
We will also have some representatives from a May Day committee to tell us about plans for a massive action. Lets come together and shut Detroit down for May Day!

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=777656342247187&id=110726715606823

[GeronL]

Occupy Water Street?

[mikefive]

Maybe they should must use their EBT card. I can’t get my head around people who think everything is a “right” and refuse to take any personnel responsibility for their actions and decesions.

[kcvl]

Valerie Blakely (@HappyParent) tweeted at 8:30am - 14 Oct 13:

MCHR Michigan Coalition for Human Rights is showing “Tipping Point: The End of Oil” is on Tuesday night at 7 pm... fb.me/1XTWPhM6c (https://twitter.com/HappyParent/status/389745004404826112)

Do we realize how much we a sacrificing for energy?