Battling the Indignities of Detroit’s Water Shut-Offs

Families Forced to Live Without Indoor Plumbing Are Robbed of Their Rights

I never considered myself a politically active type. In fact, I abhorred politics for three decades. But about 25 years ago, I realized that I couldn’t fight my personal health insurance issues without dealing with the many other human rights issues I’d heard people debate on C-Span not realizing how they were affecting my life.

So I got involved with my local Democratic party here in Detroit, then in fighting for school reform. After that, I began speaking out as a volunteer advocate for people who face water shut-offs because …

by Valerie Burris | May 27, 2015

The Muddy Ethics of Detroit’s Water

The City’s Future Looks Grim as Access to Clean Water Becomes a Rich Person’s Commodity

by Valerie Vande Panne | May 27, 2015

One early morning last week, I was groggily brushing my teeth when I realized the water pouring out of my faucet was yellow. Like urine.

I dry heaved. Spit the toothpaste …

Why Can’t We Share God’s Resources?

Detroiter Janet Bunting Is Struggling to Keep Up with Water and Sewer Bills

May 27, 2015

Why Can't We Share God’s Resources? from Zócalo Public Square on Vimeo.

California has water problems, but they pale in comparison to those of Detroit, where tens of thousands of …

What Life in Detroit Without Water Looks Like

These Photographs Show a City Twitching With Discomfort and Uncertainty

May 26, 2015

Last spring, the city of Detroit’s Department of Water and Sewerage announced a massive effort to shut off water to residents and businesses that were more than 60 days delinquent …

Their Lifeline Is a Leaking Fire Hydrant

Gloria Irizarry and Aaron Barkley Live Without Running Water Near an Enormous Abandoned Auto Plant in Detroit

May 26, 2015

Their Lifeline Is a Leaking Fire Hydrant from Zócalo Public Square on Vimeo.

California has water problems, but they pale in comparison to those of Detroit, where tens of thousands …

Detroit’s Dangerous Water Woes

Mass Shut-Offs Threaten the Safety of Already-Struggling Residents, and No City Officials Have a Plan of Escape

by Dalondo Moultrie | May 26, 2015

Janet Bunting thought she had caught a lucky break.

In 2010, Detroit was reeling from the recession and foreclosure signs were shooting up like skyrockets at the city’s riverfront July 4 …

Detroit water