"You get what you are organized to take!"
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Get the latest information on the Water Dept pickets from the current MWRO People's Bulletin View more photos of the water crisis.
Monday, January 20 & 27, February 3, and 10, 2003 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Detroit Water Department 735 Randolph in Downtown Detroit (btwn Fort & Lafayette, 2 blks west of the Greektown Casino)
Photo courtesy Raging Grannies, Detroit
Congressman John Conyers, Jr. issues statement: "Immediate action must be taken to ensure the health and well-being of Detroit residents who are being deprived of these basic services," Conyers said. "No citizen should have to endure what people are facing day after day during the coldest winter months. It is critical to impose a moratorium on the cut-offs. Human rights must come first." Statement issued 2/4/03 to Public Citizen, Water for All Campaign.
The Water Dept. claims that they are unable to determine who the low-income, senior, and disabled customers are who either have NO WATER or who have received shut-off notices. We can help them with this problem. If you are already shut-off or if you have a shut-off notice, BRING YOUR BILL, along with the most you can pay down to the Water Dept. We will escort you into the office, record the payment, and ask that service be restored with the payment along with a plan that YOU can afford. REMEMBER! Only low income persons, disabled persons, and seniors should be prepared to make payments at the Water Dept. window. Your payment is a demonstration that you are trying to negotiate in good faith. We will see what type of faith the Water Dept. has.
This is NOT a guarantee that water will be turned on immediately, but we CAN GUARANTEE that if we don't do something, nothing will happen and we will be days, weeks, and even months without Water. Water is a right. Without it, we will perish. Our city is in danger with a major public health crisis LOOMING because of waht diseases might develop. Fight for Water! Fight for Lights! Fight For Heat! Fight for Humanity! When no one "noticed" that people were living in homes without lights and gas in Detroit because they couldn't afford high bills, we picketed in front of DTE ENERGY to let them know that it is wrong to turn off utilities during winter months. They responded to those "3" Friday marches and restored service to many city residents whose names we reported. This was a good step toward HUMANITY. We must continue to make people respond to the needs of the unemployed and poor. Thousands of families are without WATER because they can't afford to pay for it, while corporations are allowed to get behind for YEARS without threats or disconnection. If a poor family has water turned off, the children are taken and placed in foster care for MONTHS, even years. We can't have this, so we are calling you to join us for RESURRECTION MONDAYS. Strategy sessions to work out restoration of service are occurring all the time, so stay in touch with us. If Martin were alive, he would be with us on these issues because water is a RIGHT and not a privilege. Fight for SENIORS, for the DISABLED, for POOR CHILDREN in Wayne County! NO WATER-NO HEAT-NO LIGHTS? NO PEACE! |