Week 5: Water shut-offs in Detroit – Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program

Week 5: Water shut-offs in Detroit

“Thousands go without water as Detroit cuts service for nonpayment”

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-detroit-water-20140629-story.html#page=1

I wanted to look into a community issue Detroit faces that is somewhat different than what I’m working with at the HP Collaborative. I know a lot of different organizations in the DCBRP focus on environmental issues, so I thought that would be cool to look at. Upon searching, this article about water shut-offs in Detroit communities immediately came up. The city of Detroit is cracking down on residents who are behind on their water bills, shutting off the water completely for those who aren’t able to pay. This has left thousands of people without water. There are moral arguments to be considered, as some are advocating on behalf of the residents, saying that it is inhumane for them and their families to be denied this water. Nicole Hill, the Detroit resident focused on in this article, is a single mother trying to care for her family. It is so hard to imagine being a mother, feeling helpless and unable to properly care for my child. The fact is, there are many people already living in poverty here in Detroit, and shutting of the water brings them further down. Hill mentions in the article that she thought only places like Africa had to worry about a lack of water, yet she is suffering from the same issues right here in Michigan, a place surrounded by the Great Lakes. I’m unsure if any of the organizations we work with are able to help these people with shut off water in any way, but I certainly hope there are places that are working on this community issue.

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