#IDEADETROIT - Part 2

During the 2010 census, Detroit had 713,777 residents. The population statistics represents a noteworthy 25% decline from the 2000 statistics. With 162,924 families living within the city, 34.4% of the families had children below 18 years of age.

Detroit, as a symbol of the worsening American manufacturing industry, is undertaking serious countermeasures in order to improve its finances and come out from the bankruptcy zone. The case of water services has become a major problem for the residents of the city.

Detroit reached a decision to disconnect water services to residents who failed to pay their bills for more than two months. Failure to clear bills has resulted to disconnection of water services. In October 2014, Detroit had increased water rates by 8.7% in order to recompense for the crumbling infrastructure.

Katie Rucke, a writer the Mint Press News, reported that over 700,000 residents are presently living with no water access after the city’s department of Water and Sewerage disconnected their water owing to unpaid bills. With the rate of poverty and unemployment shooting to 40%, the residents continue to struggle to pay their water rates, which have increased to about 119% over the last ten years.

Lack of water supply implies the inability to take a shower, use the toilet, take medications, and cook. Homes have been abandoned and condemned forcing the residents to move into streets. Families are forced to choose between sanitation and other basic needs for instance food, clothing, and healthcare.

With the Water and Sewerage department setting its sights on residents delinquent on their bills, 150,000 households will be forced to plunge into a sanitation crisis. A third of Detroit’s population live under to the poverty line, and the consequences of poor sanitation will mean an increase hardship, diseases, and death. Electricity or gas cut off is another problem faced by Detroit residence and presents a destabilizing and debilitating experience.