| Cecily McClellan is co-founder of We the People of Detroit and directs the “water works” program, which provides water to Detroit area residents who can’t afford it. “When people can’t afford water, it becomes a health issue,” she said, “that affects the most vulnerable, especially young mothers.” Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue
High Cost of Water Hits Home
The questions – the mental calculations for basic needs – are relentless.
Water conservation is a constant negotiation for Summer, a 58-year-old resident of Oak Park, Michigan. Unlike most people, it’s also a survival strategy.
Water rates are rising across Michigan as communities undertake long-needed upgrades to hobbled water, sewer, and drainage systems. These are necessary investments for the state’s future that nonetheless are exposing low-income households to financial stress.
Studies find that water prices are climbing quickly— and that public officials should be worried about these increases and their consequences for the state’s poorest residents. A comprehensive University of Michigan report published last year found that average water prices in the state, when adjusted for inflation, had nearly doubled between 1980 and 2018.
Water leaders are taking notice. Many say the only solution is outside funding. But does the long-term success of a water affordability program depend on state and federal dollars? | 
