Lincoln Park residents push back on increased water rates at city council meeting

It was a long night in Lincoln Park, Michigan, on Monday, as the city council meeting ran for hours, with many residents coming out to express their frustrations over rising water rates.

The city had already decided that water bills would increase next month, and Lincoln Park's City Hall was overflowing with upset homeowners. Officials say they will increase their water rates by about 15-28% starting Sept.1.

"I'm a single person, and my bill is now going to be over $300. Ridiculous, just ridiculous," said Janee Albrecht.

Albrecht was one of dozens in Lincoln Park Monday night who told the city council how upsetting it is that their already expensive water rates are only going up.

Christian Lacy said, "Keep on raising our rates and raising our taxes, and you're going to lose working-class individuals, working-class young people out of this city."

Some individuals who attended the meeting brought examples of their hard-to-believe water bills, sometimes reaching thousands of dollars. Michelle Stone was one of many residents who said she is now considering moving because of the increased cost of water. 

"I mean, I'm going to have to leave. I can't afford to live here anymore. It's ridiculous," Stone said.

Lincoln Park points to aging infrastructure and higher operating costs driving the increase, and one significant number: more than 40% of the water entering Lincoln Park's system isn't being billed to customers. 

"Most of us have to personally work seven to six days a week to personally afford to live in this city now, you all have known about this 46% water loss for how long, at least since 2020, and at that point it was a 40% water loss. What have you done to find the actual root of this problem?" Jocelyn Rarick said in the meeting.

The number of residents who attended the meeting grew, with a line forming out the door for people waiting to speak. So many that the council decided on only two minutes per public comment.

"What we can control is making sure is that not one of you are reelected again," Tiffany Poole said.

Lincoln Park Mayor Maureen Tobin said at the end of the meeting that she and the city council are doing what they have to do. 

"And we are doing our due diligence to find this water loss. But in the meantime, we have to make the decisions to make sure that we have the funds in the water department that supplies moving the city forward and keeping water coming to your homes," said Tobin.