I decided to read the recommended article that was linked in the email which was an interview with Monica Lewis-Patrick, the president and co-founder of We the People of Detroit, a nonprofit that informs residents about water issues among other things that affect them.
In the article, Lewis-Patrick explains the city’s agenda to push African American residents out of Detroit by talking about its many unfair laws, policies, and practices when it comes to water. I found the many things she talked about such as the government leadership of Detroit and there selfish decisions that ultimately are hurting the predominantly African American population of Detroit to be very upsetting. With stricter water billing laws in Detroit, a city with a median income of under $27,000, such as very short warning periods before water is shut off, folks having to pay over 10% of their income for water to mention a few, it is quite frustrating how little regard the leadership in the city has for the voices of the residents.
I also read about the Emergency Management law that the city uses to control water access and the school system and how it allows decisions to be made without a vote or say from the residents that must live the reality and effects of these decisions. I mean how is it that a select few are allowed to make decisions that so directly impact the health, well-being, and futures of an entire city? Even worse, Lewis-Patrick shared that 53% of the African American population in Michigan is under this austerity law. I can’t help but conclude that these kinds of laws only worsen the situation here in Detroit and it needs to change. All the research points towards the privatization of water in Detroit and looking at how big the water issue already is, it is terrifying to imagine what would happen if access to water was granted by someone trying to fatten their pocket.
Continued education on the topic is necessary and we are responsible for making the changes towards a water billing system that is fair to all and holding leadership accountable when they make several decisions that culminate to attack the livelihood of a specific population.
Water, a basic need to live, is definitely not affordable in Detroit. Its really sad that this state is almost completely surrounded by water, yet it cost so much. Its even more saddening to know that areas like Detroit and Flint which have high populations of POC and low-income residents are not lead by people who have the interest of the people, but of money.