Baltimore’s Water Policy — Detroit Should not be the Model

The gap between the haves and the have-nots in the U.S. just keeps growing, accelerated by local and national policies that deny access to basic human needs.  Last fall, Detroit, Michigan announced water shutoffs for thousands of individuals and families who could not keep up with their bills.  The federal court handling the city’s bankruptcy proceeding upheld the process, dismissing advocates’ claims that human rights to water and sanitation should be taken into account.  Now, Baltimore, Maryland has followed Detroit’s lead, issuing termination notices to more than 23,000 households with a 10 day turnaround before shutoffs begin.  Some activists have taken to the streets — and Baltimore has a relatively robust grassroots human rights movement — and to the op ed pages, but so far, the city has dismissed their pleas for a more humane process.

Meanwhile, a crowdsourcing effort is trying to take up the slack and make sure that families and individuals have the access to life-saving water and sanitation that they need.  Kudos to the “1000 points of light” who are leading this important humanitarian effort, but it cannot substitute for humane municipal policies.