New legislation would provide permanent water affordability in Michigan
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A coalition of Southeast Michigan elected officials are supporting legislation to create water shutoff protection statewide.
For some Michiganders, the cost of water is just too high, and they end up getting their water cut off.
New legislation introduced by Sen. Stephanie Chang would prevent that from happening, making water affordable by creating the Michigan Water Affordability Program.
"The legislation will lower water bills for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders and actually help municipalities and residents through gap payments, paying down arrearages, and through plumbing repairs," said Chang. "People support this effort."
The legislation introduced by Chang would put a $2 fee on all water bills that would be used to help lower-income people get income-based water bills. It would also prevent providers from shutting off water due to nonpayment, and even help pay for plumbing repairs up to $2,500 per household.
Mayor Mike Duggan said he supports this water affordability legislation because he said current programs are only temporary. This would be permanent.
"What happens when that funding runs out," said Duggan. "And what this legislation says is let's do this fairly. How about if everybody pays a little bit."
However, Candice Miller, Macomb County Public Works commissioner, is not in favor of the new plan.
"Macomb County already believes in water affordability which is why we already have a water affordability program. So, anybody in Macomb County that needs help with their water bill, it's already covered because we already pay into it," said Miller. "We cover everybody in Macomb County. "We have enough money that we actually send the balance to the City of Detroit every year, so this would be a duplicative fee and a huge increase for our residents."
The Michigan Water Affordability Program would also pay off arrearages up to $3,000 over two years of successful enrollment.
Chang still has a way to go in moving the plan through the legislative process, but the is optimistic given the support it has received statewide.
