"Thousands of Detroit residents who are facing water shutoffs because they can’t pay their water bill will now have an avenue for assistance.
As Detroit’s water department shuts off more taps, nearly $1 million is now available for low-income customers who need help paying their bills.
The money has been accruing in an account that’s funded by a voluntary program that takes 50 cents from each paying residential customer’s bill, along with varying amounts from commercial customers, said Curtrise Garner with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
People eligible for the Detroit Residential Water Assistance Program must live in single-family dwellings in the city, have received a shutoff notice and be at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines or participating in public-assistance programs. For Detroit, that means a household of four making $47,700 or less would qualify for assistance. Preference will be given to seniors".

"The assistance program makes available up to $1,500 per customer, so long as the amount owed is less than $2,500. To qualify, the customers must make some kind of contribution toward their accounts".


http://www.freep.com/article/2014070...water-shutoffs