look out Detroit Water Dept...

[old guy]

If you want to save the world's water systems, and land for that matter, end fracking.

I'm with you 100% on that one.

[rb336]

1. If a water system is privately owned, it functions like an electric company or a gas company with rates set by a public utilities commission.

2. One of the benefits of privatizing DWSD rather than having it be an independent government entity is that a private company could sweep away all of the deadwood, featherbedding, and "friends and family" employees and lower the cost structure.

Water rates from DWSD are already lower than most "privately held" water systems. What really happens when you privatize public infrastructure? Maintenance shortcuts, increased violations [[public water systems with more than one MCL [[Maximum Containment Level) violation per 1000 customers run in the 6-7% level, privately held systems run in the 20-23% level). Privatization benefits no one except the owner

[Detroitnerd]

Water rates from DWSD are already lower than most "privately held" water systems. What really happens when you privatize public infrastructure? Maintenance shortcuts, increased violations [[public water systems with more than one MCL [[Maximum Containment Level) violation per 1000 customers run in the 6-7% level, privately held systems run in the 20-23% level). Privatization benefits no one except the owner

I believe that privatization advocacy is often really just thinly disguised anti-unionism. These advocates are the workers who always hated having to belong to a union and now see privatization as a way to stick it to their longtime enemies without saying so. They're even willing to accept all the other things that come along with privatization -- lower quality, do-nothing skimmers, lack of accountability -- because they're just so pumped to see unions and union workers get the shaft.

[Eber Brock Ward]

Water rates from DWSD are already lower than most "privately held" water systems. What really happens when you privatize public infrastructure? Maintenance shortcuts, increased violations [[public water systems with more than one MCL [[Maximum Containment Level) violation per 1000 customers run in the 6-7% level, privately held systems run in the 20-23% level). Privatization benefits no one except the owner

I question your numbers. I looked up a few, just to see, since I remember having a "what the hell, why is water/sewer so expensive here when we're right by the river" moment when we moved to Detroit:

Detroiters currently pay about $86.89 cents per 1,000 cubic feet of water alone. [[http://www.dwsd.org/downloads_n/abou...fact_sheet.pdf).

In Chicago, we paid $18.75 per 1,000 cubic feet of water alone. [[http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en...rservices.html)

In New York, it's $92.70 for combined water and sewer. [[http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/res...wateruse.shtml)

In DC, it's 36.10 for water only. [[http://www.dcwater.com/customercare/rates.cfm).

Boston is about $44.50 for water only. [[http://www.bwsc.org/services/rates/rates.asp).

So Detroit's rates are about double Boston's, almost three times DC's rates, and about five times Chicago's. And Detroit's rates for water alone are also comparable to NYC's combined rate for water and sewer.

Doesn't sound to me like we have low rates, rather it sounds like the politicians and unions have been milking DWSD for all that it's worth and then some.

I'd rather pay market rates than pay way over market like I do now. I don't care if the "profit" goes to a private entity or politicians/unions, I'm just tired of being gouged. If the politicians/unions can offer it at market rates, then good, let them share that "profit", while also remembering that they're providing a service, not a jobs program.

[Vic01]

They're even willing to accept all the other things that come along with privatization -- lower quality, do-nothing skimmers, lack of accountability -- because they're just so pumped to see unions and union workers get the shaft.

haven't these "things" already been going on for years and years?

[Eber Brock Ward]

Exactly my point, Vic.

If we're gonna have do-nothing skimmers and lack of accountability either way, I'd rather just pay a fair rate for my water and not care who's doing the skimming.

[Wesley Mouch]

I believe that privatization advocacy is often really just thinly disguised anti-unionism. ...

Edison is private. Edison is unionized and happy to pass those costs onto ratepayers. Don't be paranoid.

I'm proudly anti-union -- because they bring stagnation and corruption of public life. But they're not much trouble in many settled industries such as utilities.

btw, Nerfie, you don't think DWSD suffers from 'lower quality, do-nothing skimmers, lack of accountability'???? In what world is that?

[Detroitnerd]

haven't these "things" already been going on for years and years?

Privatization is legalized graft. You have this totally unnecessary suit between the workers and the taxpayers, taking his cut, while the quality of the work and the working environment are degraded.

Hey, they thought it was a great idea to privatize the water system in Pontiac ... until they found out that the contractor had a bunch of federal indictments against it.

But if you still want to cheer it on, think about this. Would you rather deal with the devil you know? You know, the one you can fix by being an engaged citizen, organizing, researching and attending meetings? Or would you rather give up a publicly accountable operation and deep-six public works back to the 19th century -- all while just sort of hoping that it will fix all the problems you want fixed?

[Novine]

Comparison of water rates for 30 US cities. Detroit's near the low end compared to most of the US.

http://www.circleofblue.org/waternew...llstats590.jpg