Civil Rights Coalition Responds to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order by Requesting a Permanent Solution

DETROIT – A coalition of civil rights organizations fighting to end water shutoffs in Detroit and ensure water is affordable to city residents had the following response to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order issued today that extends the moratorium on water shutoffs to the end of the year.

“While the Governor’s executive order extends needed temporary relief for Detroiters, it does not solve the underlying problem at the heart of the water shutoff crisis. Detroit residents need permanent relief from the excessively high water rates and longstanding water shutoff policy that disproportionately expose thousands of Black families to avoidable health risks, especially during a pandemic. For years, residents and health experts have been calling for a water affordability plan that provides real relief. Today’s announcement does not do that. We call on the Governor to work on a long-term solution that charges residents according to their income and ends this dangerous cycle of water insecurity.”

Civil Rights organizations include the ACLU of Michigan, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., and Edwards & Jennings, P.C.