Hundreds Line Up In Detroit For Water Bill Payment Plans
DETROIT (AP) - People behind in water bill payments have lined up in Detroit to keep their service on.
The Detroit News reports that hundreds waited Saturday at a water assistance fair to sign up for a payment plan.
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has said it will start shutting off service Sunday on delinquent residential accounts not on plans.
Many heartbreaking stories as low income residents wait to get asst with water bills. DWSD says they r here to help. pic.twitter.com/q2s4prZvLu
— Laura Teicher Bonnell (@LauraTbonnell) April 30, 2016
Line wraps around the bldg at Detroit water assistance fair. #waterbills @WWJ950 pic.twitter.com/qzayYKb6lG
— Laura Teicher Bonnell (@LauraTbonnell) April 30, 2016
Officials have said that roughly 30,000 commercial and residential customers are on plans. About 23,000 have defaulted and risk shutoffs.
The department faced protests in 2014 following shutoffs of delinquent accounts.
Chuck Daniels said he owed $700 over two months and was trying to find out Saturday at the fair "what kind of help" he could get.
Detroit's water system serves about 700,000 city residents and 4 million people regionally.
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