Your Water will be shut off!!

**Danny** · August-26-14, 06:58 AM

Tuesday, August 26 its when Detroit Dept. of Water and Sewage will come into your doorstep and shut your water off from the street valve. Those who didn't pay their water bills in full had went to DPWS centers in the last couple of weeks to seek financial assistance. Others are too late. What are Detroit and suburban residents are going to do is there's no running water in their homes?

**Armin** · August-26-14, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

Tuesday, August 26 its when Detroit Dept. of Water and Sewage will come into your doorstep and shut your water off from the street valve. Those who didn't pay their water bills in full had went to DPWS centers in the last couple of weeks to seek financial assistance. Others are too late. What are Detroit and suburban residents are going to do is there's no running water in their homes?

They could try paying their bills like everyone else. I'm sorry, but I don't feel sorry for people who can't grasp this radical idea.

**Scottathew** · August-26-14, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

What are Detroit and suburban residents are going to do is there's no running water in their homes?

...Prioritize spending? Pay their bills? Enter a payment plan with DWSD? Ask for funds from a charity?

Or perhaps they'll just get angry, protest, and demand free stuff. Are the protesters suggesting that DWSD workers should not receive paychecks because water should be free? I think most people would quit their jobs if they were not paid to perform them.

**313WX** · August-26-14, 07:51 AM

...Since March, the department has shut off water to more than 19,000 Detroiters. Of those, 14,000 have had their service restored....

...The number of residents on payment plan agreements, which allow them to catch up on overdue bills, jumped from 17,000 in July to 25,000 now, officials said....

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz3BVDs5Szd

It's funny how so many of them managed to get down to the water company to arrange for a payment plan when the city threatened to shut off their water...

The entitlement mentality in this town is ridiculous.

**nain rouge** · August-26-14, 07:53 AM

In a nation with over $17 trillion in debt, maybe the smart money is in demanding "free stuff". After all, if they government throwing around dollar bills like confetti, might as well grab a few off the ground, right? Isn't that what a corporation would do?

Of course, the holier-than-thou types continue to do nothing while the government puts the long-term value of the dollar - and thus their life's savings - in an incredibly precarious position.

Oh wait, they are bashing the poor, I guess. That's the ticket! That'll fix everything!

**Scottathew** · August-26-14, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by nain rouge

Oh wait, they are bashing the poor, I guess. That's the ticket! That'll fix everything!

I'm against corporate welfare and costly wars. I'm also for people paying their damn water bills.

**Just_Some_Detroiter** · August-26-14, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Armin

They could try paying their bills like everyone else. I'm sorry, but I don't feel sorry for people who can't grasp this radical idea.

Thank you!!! I am tired of seeing people complain about their water being shut off yet they got the latest iphone with an expensive unlimited data/texting plan and they throw money away on new appliances like there is no tomorrow. Getting priorities straight is key.

**nain rouge** · August-26-14, 08:36 AM

If you're consistent, you're consistent, and I respect that. But you and I both know that there are quite a few people that fit the stereotype I described.

**Detroitnerd** · August-26-14, 08:47 AM

Same old story: Divide the have-somes against the have-nots and the have-it-alls walk away with everything. SMH

**Scottathew** · August-26-14, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Same old story: Divide the have-somes against the have-nots and the have-it-alls walk away with everything. SMH

Sounds like a lot of whining and excuses that don't apply. So why should some people not have to pay their bills and avoid all attempts at solving their own problems through payment plans or charity?

Doesn't make sense to me.

Explain to me what your criteria for paying for water should be? A certain income level? Only people in certain areas? At what point am I eligible for free water? At the point when I stop paying my bill?

Willi · August-26-14, 08:59 AM

Pay the water bill first - before you pay any other bill.
Face the fact you need the water more than anything else in your life.
You can't drink the gasoline in your car, or suck on electrical cables to quench thirst.

**SpartanDawg** · August-26-14, 09:03 AM

detroit is doing everything it can to make sure people's water won't get shut off... extended hours, the water fairs at cobo, etc.... but if you don't pay your damn bill then yes, it will get shut off... it's the same exact policy in hundreds of cities across america

it's not viable for a city to just give out free water... PAY YOUR BILL

**acer_ventura** · August-26-14, 09:08 AM

Do ppl actually think that Detroit is the first municipality to order water shutoffs for non-payment? I thought that happens anywhere a bill goes unpaid too long. I'm not sure this is a 'have' vs 'have-not' situation.. it's more like a typical 'paid' or 'unpaid' bill that any metro city water customers have seen for decades...

**313WX** · August-26-14, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

I'm against corporate welfare and costly wars. I'm also for people paying their damn water bills.

Agreed, same here...

**Scottathew** · August-26-14, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by acer_ventura

Do ppl actually think that Detroit is the first municipality to order water shutoffs for non-payment? I thought that happens anywhere a bill goes unpaid too long. I'm not sure this is a 'have' vs 'have-not' situation.. it's more like a typical 'paid' or 'unpaid' bill that any metro city water customers have seen for decades...

The thing is, consequences absent, some people will willingly choose not to pay. That is why you shut people off, because if there is no negative consequence for not paying, then why pay!

Detroit's big issue is that they let the bills run up for too long, and now are demanding large sums of money from people with bad spending habits, the kind of habits that will let a water bill go unpaid as long as it's still flowing.

Detroit has corrected its sins of the past by offering VERY FLEXIBLE payment plans that let you pay 10% of what you owe and spread the rest of 24 months.

But people aren't interested in solutions here, people are more interested in blaming others for their problems and lack of spending prioritization.

**TKshreve** · August-26-14, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

Sounds like a lot of whining and excuses that don't apply. So why should some people not have to pay their bills and avoid all attempts at solving their own problems through payment plans or charity?

Doesn't make sense to me.

Explain to me what your criteria for paying for water should be? A certain income level? Only people in certain areas? At what point am I eligible for free water? At the point when I stop paying my bill?

Maybe I'll stop paying my bill and put my hand out instead. And then my neighbor will observe this stroke of genius and she will do the same. Followed by her neighbor, and the two families across the street. Soon the entire block will be in on the game. And it will spread like wildfire.

Great slippery slope we've created here. Meanwhile cell phone huts, beauty shops and liquor stores don't have to worry about chasing their customers down or threatening to cut them off.

**Detroitnerd** · August-26-14, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

Sounds like a lot of whining and excuses that don't apply. So why should some people not have to pay their bills and avoid all attempts at solving their own problems through payment plans or charity?

Doesn't make sense to me.

Explain to me what your criteria for paying for water should be? A certain income level? Only people in certain areas? At what point am I eligible for free water? At the point when I stop paying my bill?

You're asking the wrong questions. The fact is, the people who are getting fucked over hard are the most vulnerable. And you're supposed to clap and cheer and get in line with anything the powers that be propose as a solution. And then the "solution" will be enacted.

And then … you're next, pal.

**Honky Tonk** · August-26-14, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by TKshreve

Maybe I'll stop paying my bill and put my hand out instead. And then my neighbor will observe this stroke of genius and she will do the same. Followed by her neighbor, and the two families across the street. Soon the entire block will be in on the game. And it will spread like wildfire.

Great slippery slope we've created here. Meanwhile cell phone huts, beauty shops and liquor stores don't have to worry about chasing their customers down or threatening to cut them off.

Don't forget cable! Gotta have that Premium Package.

**corktownyuppie** · August-26-14, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz3BVDs5Szd

It's funny how so many of them managed to get down to the water company to arrange for a payment plan when the city threatened to shut off their water...

The entitlement mentality in this town is ridiculous.

And the entitlement mentality is a shame because it makes it that much harder to know when people really need help or if they're just "crying wolf".

It's simple.

Those who can pay must pay.
Those who truly can't [[and that means truly, truly), I think we should help.

**Scottathew** · August-26-14, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

You're asking the wrong questions. The fact is, the people who are getting fucked over hard are the most vulnerable. And you're supposed to clap and cheer and get in line with anything the powers that be propose as a solution. And then the "solution" will be enacted.

And then … you're next, pal.

You've proposed no solution. Your solution is FREE WATER! YAY!!!

DWSD has a very fair repayment program: http://www.dwsd.org/downloads_n/anno..._PlanFlyer.pdf

Propose how we're going to deliver water to folks without paying for it? How do we get the workers to work for free? The contractors to do work for free? Obtain the needed materials for free? Build out, replace, and maintain infrastructure for free?

DetroitNerd, other than blaming the man, what's your solution?

**dtowncitylover** · August-26-14, 11:30 AM

Well the only solution is for them to pay or help them find the resources to pay [[charity, employment, etc).

But what I hate is seeing people berate them for being poor and "lazy". Propagating the Reagan-myth of welfare queens with Cadillacs and IPhones. I work in a heavily white office and one time I almost chewed out a VP for saying those things about this situation. Some people see black people with IPhones and don't give them any benefit of the doubt that they actually have the means and assume they're welfare suckers with nice gadgets.

**Chicago48** · August-26-14, 11:51 AM

I don't agree with all the bashing of the poor in Detroit. I have family members who are just barely holding on. Wages in Detroit are not on par with some of the other cities. Give the people a break. If you don't have money you don't have money. What will happen? They will abandon their homes and move in with relatives, that's what will happen.

**Chicago48** · August-26-14, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

And the entitlement mentality is a shame because it makes it that much harder to know when people really need help or if they're just "crying wolf".

It's simple.

Those who can pay must pay.
Those who truly can't [[and that means truly, truly), I think we should help.

did it occur to you that maybe their pipes are faulty and need repairs and that's why the water bill is high?

**motz** · August-26-14, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

And the entitlement mentality is a shame because it makes it that much harder to know when people really need help or if they're just "crying wolf".

It's simple.

Those who can pay must pay.
Those who truly can't [[and that means truly, truly), I think we should help.

This is pretty much where I am. I want to be able to make sure that everyone has access to water, but also realize that these things are not free. They require costly infrastructure. The problem is though, that there are many people out there who can afford to pay, but don't due to the aforementioned lack of enforcement. Think about it: if you didn't require [[and enforce the consequences) people to pay on their credit cards, do you think they would willfully make their payments? At the end of the day though, we need to make sure everyone is taken care of while everyone is also held to the same standards. But you can't do that when you two sides unable to speak or think outside of their own tiny bubble.

**Honky Tonk** · August-26-14, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

I don't agree with all the bashing of the poor in Detroit. I have family members who are just barely holding on. Wages in Detroit are not on par with some of the other cities. Give the people a break. If you don't have money you don't have money. What will happen? They will abandon their homes and move in with relatives, that's what will happen.

What's your solution? I should pay their water bill? How much milk of human kindness should flow before I'm off the hook? If their income is that drastically below par, then maybe the best solution is pooling income and resources.