Thursday July 24 from 4-6pm Detroit will be welcoming the Canadian Water Caravan at the Spirit of Detroit, located on Woodward between Jefferson and Larned, at the Coleman A Young Municipal Center. The Peoples Water Board Coalition and Council of Canadians will have speakers discussing the situation faced, the solutions which have been proposed, and the future direction being sought. Speakers announced thus far include Maude Barlow (Council of Canadians) and Maureen Taylor (Michigan Welfare Rights Organization).
Demands of those rallying include:
- MWRO proposed a Water Affordability Program in 2006 this program needs to be brought into service with the water department.
- The coalition also rejects the notion of privatization as a fix to any problem being faced by the water department.
The coalition has prepared a document providing the "History and Facts: Water Affordability in Detroit" which can be viewed and downloaded.
This is a follow-up to the May 22nd event "Great Lakes Need Great Friends" held at Wayne State University. Maude Barlow, Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, author of Blue Future along with Jim Olsen, film maker of FLOW: For the Love Of Water, and local representatives selected by the Peoples Water Board Coalition spoke and held discussion. On the heels of that event the speakers and organizers worked together in filing a complaint to the United Nations regarding the water shutoffs as a Human Rights Violation. Three officials with the UN acknowledged the complaint and issued a warning statement to the City of Detroit, Detroit Emergency Manager, and Governor Rick Snyder.
The Council of Canadians has a FAQ answering a number of questions people may have about the declared violation. This is one of many questions within it...
How should Detroit’s water and sewerage services be funded if people refuse to pay?
Public financing through progressive taxation is the only sustainable way to ensure equitable water and sanitation services for all. The failure to do so results in negative public health, social and economic impacts for everyone. To transfer the growing gaps in public funding to users at an increasingly unaffordable rate means poor people pay a much greater share of their earnings to keep these services going for everyone.
The utility’s claims that the cut-offs have been successful in getting people to pay their bills doesn’t take into account the tremendous sacrifices people are making to pay for water and sanitation.
Following the rally at Spirit of Detroit water brought by the caravan will be delivered to St Peter's Episcopal Church on Michigan at Trumbull where the "Peoples" Water Station will be opening to serve those in need. The network of resources through the
Peoples Water Board Coalition and
Detroit Water Brigade continues to grow.