Fusion - The City of Detroit began shutting off water access to residents behind on payments, with thousands at risk of losing access.
According to the Detroit Free Press, 64,769 delinquent residential customers owe the city's water department a combined $48.9 million.
The city started sending out shut-off warnings May 11. According to the Free Press, Mayor Mike Duggan is proceeding with the shutoff orders over the wishes of city council members, who voted on May 12 to freeze the shutoff until an assistance plan to help affected residents was enacted.
Last year, the United Nations warned the city that the shutoffs were violations of residents' human rights, and called on the city to stop them and reconnect their houses.
"None of those things happened," Kauchek said.
Detroit residents are not the only ones facing water shut-offs: In March, Baltimore residents began receiving turn-off notices; according to the Baltimore Sun, 25,000 water customers are delinquent.
