Housing
Here Comes Summer, There Goes Your Running Water
In Detroit and Baltimore, residents behind on water payments prepare to go without. Why aren’t utilities going after delinquent big companies first?
It’s as sure a sign as any that summer is on its way. The door hangers find their door knobs, the notices show up in the mail, and the utility vans begin making their rounds.
April through October is water shut-off season, when municipal utilities enforce overdue bills by cutting the water to businesses and homes. For cities, it’s an opportunity to make good on millions in delinquent payments. For the United Nations, it’s a crisis that represents a violation of human rights.